Counting the Differences
by Rynn
Summary: Davina, a ballerina in training, owes a favor to 3D's unapologetic leader. Her compensation? English lessons for 3D to pass their English midterm! Life goes on and living as a gaijin in Japan is confusing most days. But is 3D's allure for trouble compatible with the genteel life Davina wants?
1. Chapter 1: First Meeting

Author's note and disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own this series. If only I did.... Please review if you read, I would like to know what you think, what I can improve on, etc.

Edit: April 6th 2009: Today I had the realization that I underestimated the distance between the ocean and Roppongi hills. Davina now gets off at Minato station, which makes a bit more sense.

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Counting the Differences

* * *

"Plié ...**Suturetto**!" Called her new Madame as she walked along the barre, analyzing the movement and grace of seven ballerinas.

Davina smiled as her knees straightened and her arm gently glided up, leveling with the barre. This was her fourth lesson in a prestigious Japanese ballet dance studio and her new instructor was growing on her quicker than most of her previous teachers. _Suturetto, ha!_

Her new Madame was a sophisticated woman, lean and elegant, her silky hair always in a perfect bun. Her qualifications included an international troupe and while touring she had learned English and French. She had allowed Davina to join her class after an audition, but was more than willing to bring to her class a western student, perhaps to show her ballerinas a glimpse of what their future troupes would hold.

Her eyes got distracted by the window view of the Tokyo metropolis to her side. She was in a high rise building—was there any other type in this country?!—she could see other high-rise structures, lights of many vibrant colors, hoards of business men in black blazers, rushing toward the train station. Her studio was small yet suitable with the wall of mirrors, barre, and glowing hard wooden floor. The lack of harsh fluorescent lighting calmed Davina. She appreciated how the yellowing lights overhead gleamed warmly over the ballerinas.

She continued her repetitions to the soft music, glancing at the six other girls in leotards, counting to themselves over their breaths. All of them were black-haired, tiny, dark-eyed, and undoubtedly Japanese. Third lesson in, they had gotten used her to presence and had almost fully stopped boring their eyes into her western body. "Gaijin," they all had tilted and whispered to each other when she first arrived. She was 1/8 Japanese, from her father's side, but a gaikokujin _foreigner_ in all respects. 1/8 Japanese, ½ French, some British, Irish, Italian, one-hundred percent American born.

As an army brat, she was dragged all around the United States and world with her father and mother. Her parents did something with security, communications, language, blah blah. She had never bothered to learn so she wouldn't have to explain to other people.

The move to Japan was a surprise when she was told after she had returned from her ballet practice on some insignificant Tuesday. Surprise in the most extreme definition of the word. Her parents had been so calm about the whole damn thing, overestimating their daughter's indifference.

Davina used to disregard posing for information from her parents before every move, "I don't care where we go, as long as they have ballet." After being transferred to the other side of the planet, starting over in an unfamiliar place_ yet again_; she now found herself eating her words.

She didn't bother to protest the move far east. By the time she was informed about any relocation, everything was usually already set in stone with the military, school, jobs, residence, etc. As always, she was the last one to know anything.

When she finally gathered her courage, she inquired about the move to her father one night as she sat on the stairs and he drunk a steaming cup of tea.

"It's either Tokyo or the base in Okinawa, they'll let us know in a couple of weeks." Her father uttered while he scanned through his Japanese intensive course book. "Oh, you're taking an intensive Japanese course, for a few months, before we leave."

Davina crossed her arms over her knees, unhappy with matter-of-fact tone her father used with her. She was his daughter after all, he could bother to show some concern. "But won't I be attending a foreigner's school anyway? Where rich guppy ambassadors send their rich guppy kids?"

Her father looked up from his course book and frowned directly at Davina with serious eyes, worthy of an army man. "Yes, but the course is for your benefit. You'll need it, regardless of guppies. And get rid of that snappy attitude of yours Davina."

"Hmmm, yes, sir." Davina groaned. Expecting no more information, she swung around to climb the stairs back to her room.

"It's pretty lucky," her father began, stopping Davina in mid-step. Davina rolled at her eyes at the wall. _Here he goes again: "You're so lucky! To be so culturally stimulated! I got my very first passport at 22, when I joined the army!"_

"You'll get to see your great grandfather from my side. He's so happy that we're finally moving to his side of the world."

Ah yes, _Sofu. _Her father had rarely mentioned him. The great grand father she had never met in her life. Twice, she had heard his voice over the phone and heard his name many times from her great grandmother. Her _Sofu's _ex-wife, her great grandmother, lived in the states. She was American, so Davina didn't call her _Sobo _or _Obaachan. _ Her great grandmother had loved her Japanese husband but didn't love Japan.

"It was so hard back then, after the war," she said once to Davina, brushing light hair away from her brow while she reminisced deeply on her memories. "I imagine...or at least, I hope it is easier now for foreigners."

"Samunsu-san, keep your hands and feet at the same position while doing your chaines," instructed Madame, bringing Davina back into reality. Davina let out a small gasp and blinked. She had been spotting the window while she spun. Deep in thought, her focus scattered and had allowed her arms to droop slightly.

"Pardon—sumimasen." Davina fixed her posture, fixing her vision to the mirror to ignore the other girls' smirks.

Davina was surprised with how much she was in shock since arriving in Japan. Even ballet couldn't fully soothe it for her. She would remember her surroundings and feel ill in her gut while too many insecurities in her head kept agitating her and thus hindered her performance in front of her Madame and the new group of girls. She didn't want to appear mediocre in her jumps in front of the Japanese when she had aced them back home.

Home? Home was always such a vague term for Davina. Home was America, all around Europe and now home was Japan. Home was all mushed between the chain-linked gates of a military base. With another glance to the girls next to her, her Madame, and the view outside, Davina felt her stomach tumble and tightened her chest to hold back the urge to cry.

The class ended soon after their short practice with their jumps. Davina watched as the other girls huddled together in their corner with their cute little bags and circled around Madame, talking in fast Japanese. Davina quickly removed her Pointe shoes and toe padding, and tossed them into her bag. She hurried towards the locker room to change into her street clothes, letting the door shut with a heavy pang.

Securing her final item of clothing, she walked by the mirror and stared back at her reflection for a moment. She ruffled with her coat collar, trying to make it stand up to cover her features. She eventually grew frustrated and gave up, _you'll get stared at regardless. _Again, she fought the urge to cry, eventually sighed heavily to draw strength from within and threw her hat over her hair.

* * *

Davina stepped from the crowded platform onto the train, ignoring people's gaping stares at her. She had managed to get a seat, but there for some reason was always a space between her and the other passengers.

She removed her duffel from her shoulder to the seat next to her, pulled out her mp3 player from a zipper pocket. Unwrapping the wire from her headphones, a familiar-styled laugh resonated from the end of the train. She leaned slightly in her seat then spotted other _gaijin _on the train. There was a fairly large group of them this time, weighed down with backpacks and plastic bags of souvenirs. The _gaijin _she saw were always with groups of friends, grinning toothy smiles at each other and rowdily chatting away about their adventures in a homogeneous country. Her insides ached from jealously.

Davina had lived in many metropolises in the world—New York City, London, Paris—but Tokyo was far, far different. She had always seen large cities as hubs of diversity, Tokyo and Japan, was far from that. Upon driving to the base, out the window, all she could see were heads of black hair and pale skin and only very few otherwise.

She had before enjoyed her physical features, but now, because of them, she hated walking on the streets of Tokyo. Davina hated the way people gawked at her long red hair. Not orange or auburn, fire-engine red hair. She could understand silent admiration but the stopping and pointing was more than what she could handle. She had received many valuing compliments but her stomach grew sick when drunk businessmen gave her perverted winks and comments on the walk home in Roppongi. At night now, she resorted to tucking her hair into a hat, for her own safety. Now, she just avoided the Roppongi intersection, right outside the respective train station. The army base was closer to the Roppongi station than Minato, but Davina would rather walk an extra two miles than go through there by herself. Otherwise the strip club and bar owners would yell, taunt, and sometimes follow her, "come and join the party sweet little girl!"

Also, her body was taller than most Japanese woman. She had a large collection of beautiful high heeled shoes that was gathering dust in her room because she was awkward as the typical giant westerner.

Her eyes were green, semi-rare in the west, diamond in the rough in Japan. She unconsciously held her head down in public, tired of people fussing over her eyecolor.

The train's announcer yelled "Minato! Minato!" over the intercom, while the screens over the doors switched between "港区," and "Minato." Davina adjusted her hat, weaved her arm into her strap, then waited for the doors to open before she hurried out.

Minato and Roppongi was bustling and busy. Noisy with people's loud laughter and loud car screeching and horns. Home was the army base, which was a long way away. People loved this area for the action and nightlife. All Davina wished was to entirely skip this area and go home.

She crossed her arms and ducked her head as she entered the crowds, trying to make herself as small as possible while keeping her bag tight against her side. She walked behind groups of girls across an intersection, occasionally looking up to see the colorful signs of the clubs she was passing.

Davina had never been clubbing in Japan, but by now she had learned which ones were popular, especially for foreigners. She knew through the girls in her class who were class pets in class but regulars at these vulgar clubs and bars. They would get dropped off by their drivers in the morning, hair styled and dressed impeccably, then gather together in a circle and giggle to themselves while going over in detail what happened the night before. They would then make plans for that night, discuss which skirt was short enough and what bra gave them the most cleavage. Sometimes they just danced and drank, other times they were paid to bring in men who would dance and drink.

They would flip their highlighted hair over their shoulders and sometimes sneer over at Davina as if though they were sure she was missing out.

While reading the romanji over a sign, Davina accidentally caught of the eyes of a club bouncer who was scanning the crowd for customers. He nudged a fellow club goer next to him and directed the fellow's attention to Davina. Her breathing tensed as she sharply turned away, hoping he would ignore her but out of the corner of her eye she spotted him jogging behind. "Shit!" She cursed trying to hurry away and disappear into another crowd.

"You! Hold on, now! Wait, I wanna talk to you!" Why were they yelling in English?

Davina didn't dare look back. _No, go away! _She could feel him advancing towards her faster than she could get away. Her heart pounded in her ribcage, her legs becoming jittery through nerves.

Someone called after her again, this time a different voice. "Isn't she the one who ran up my bar tab to over ¥50,000! I swear that's her!"

_No, no, no, no! Just go away! _Davina looked around for a mark of something familiar in the buildings she passed, but in her haste, she had rushed away from what she could recognize and was still pushing further and further away. She realized now that she was running aimlessly. There were no crowds at this point. She turned, but faced a gate and behind it was the ocean and far away, glimmered lights of Rainbow bridge and Odaiba island.

Strong hands grabbed her arm and threw her like a doll to the concrete. She yelped as she hit her head. Her mp3 player flew from her pocket and skipped across the road. Her hat fell and scattered her hair in clumps over her face and over the road.

The daunting figures stood darkly over her. She couldn't see their faces clearly but both men had black hair and one had dark skin. "No way that's her, she was blonde and her friend was brunette."

They spoke to each other in Japanese while Davina set a shaky hand to the tender spot on her head. No blood, only pain. She winced.

One of their shoes tugged at her sweater, touching the tip to her school badge. "But she goes to the same school." The darker one smiled.

The paler one grabbed her bag and threw everything—her clothes, ballet shoes—until he found her wallet, but he threw it when he found only small bills. "Only ¥5,000 yen, thought only rich girls attended that high school."

_Please, just go, leave me, please. _

They spoke seriously to each other again, hands flimsily waved with gestures. "What do we do with her? She'd report us and her parents are probably important and will draw a lot of attention to this."

_I promise I won't tell, just go. _The sounds of the ocean pounded against the concrete shore below the gate. "Toss her into the ocean and see if she floats." The paler one said as he grabbed her at the waist.

As soon as his hands touched her, Davina screamed hysterically, "NO, NO, NO, NO!" She continued to shriek as the man lifted her limp body from the road. She struggled against his grip and dug her nails deep into his skin like cat. She'd surely drown, she didn't know how to swim. Even if she could swim, the water would paralyze her muscles with cold. Hot tears rushed down her cheeks as her eyes widened over the dark water and her screams grew faint from terror. _This is it.... _

Just as black ocean waves become the only thing below her, Davina and the man were tackled to the left. The man let go and Davina scraped her thigh and arm against the road. She lifted herself warily and cradled her arm. A third tall figure pushed and punched the man back, shouting furiously. After two hits both men retreated, their shadows growing larger against the buildings as their bodies disappeared around the corner.

Davina exhaled deeply, the alarm within her chest tranquilizing. She minded her thigh and arm then carefully stood from the ground, supporting herself from her uninjured side. Her limbs ached and her head throbbed. She rubbed the scratches on her cheek and smoothed away her tears. Her rescuer finally turned to her then bent his knees to help gather her things back into her bag.

Then out of nowhere he started screaming at her in fast Japanese, his tone deep and harsh.

Davina quivered away, hot tears filling her eyes again. The man, err—boy was he? Davina got a closer look, even in the pale light, he was definitely close to her age. Judging by the black blazer and black pants, he was still a high school student. His shaggy hair fluttered as he yelled, leaving a few blond streaks just visible under his hair.

Her hands cupped her face, tears steamed in between her fingers and the boy's shouting halted. He stared, jaw slightly hanging, at her hands and her features for a moment then gave the notorious "oh-shit, she's Caucasian, must not understand Japanese" look then sighed. The whites in his eyes receded under his droopy eyelids and his expression calmed to that of a poker face. He seemed sorry to have yelled at her.

"Where is your hotel?" He asked slowly and softly, handing Davina her ballet slippers, trying to reassure her that he wouldn't raise his voice again.

He was obviously not a native speaker, Davina noted. His English was accented, but his intentions to put her at ease were enough for Davina.

Lifting her bag to her shoulder, she pointed a finger to the ground. "Koko...Nihon ni...sundeimasu." _I live here in Japan._

"Eh? Ie wa doko?" He said. _Where is your house?_

Davina twisted behind to the ocean scenery then left and right, eventually shaking her head. Trying to remember the key phrases she learned, shrugging, she said, "maigo desu." _I'm lost._

The boy shoved his hands into his pockets with a deep scuff of air, obviously annoyed. Davina felt uncomfortable and embarrassed for being a burden to this person who put himself in harm's way to help her, but she felt scared to find her way back alone, especially knowing that those two scoundrels were still out there.

She didn't know how to react in a situation like this, and from the looks of it, neither did he. She bowed from the waist down, wishing her gesture would hold full connotation of what she was trying to express. "Gomennansai." Her voice barely audible in between her trembles.

The boy grew sympathetic as the girl's red hair curtained around her head when she bowed. He eyed her face as she lifted her neck while her body was still forward and her cheeks were sulked in and her eyes puffy red. He sighed to himself, knowing he was now responsible to continue helping her get home because he had saved her.

Suddenly, his phone rang in his pocket. They both drew in a breath of air and the trance between them broke. The boy pulled the antenna of his phone and turned away while Davina straightened up. Her fingertips brushed along her cheekbones. Her cheeks were hot indicating she had been blushing. _Gather yourself and stop crying, Davina. You're stronger than this emotional wreckage. You've caused enough trouble. _She continued to internally drill herself, while finishing retrieving her belongings.

"_Hi Minami," _The boy said into his phone receiver. "_No, something has come up, I'm not coming._" With a flick of his thumb the conversation ended, even though the speaker on the other end whined and demanded more explanation.

The boy twisted back at Davina who was dusting the mud and dry dirt off her hat. She flipped the rim with her wrist, accessing the damage before finally shoving it into one of her bag's zipper pockets. She checked her mp3 player, which, thankfully, still worked. Lastly, she adjusted her bag strap securely over her shoulder.

She was still a bit shaky and timid, not that he blamed her. He swayed towards her, setting his phone back into his pocket. "Iko." _Let's go._

Davina bit her lip and gave a slight nod.

He allowed her to be one step ahead of him. He decided to himself that he'd wait until she'd stopped shaking, then he'd take her home.

* * *

Author's Note: I didn't want these to be too long so I split the document I wrote in half, so yes chapter two is already written. Perhaps now, the ideas in my head are calm enough to allocate me enough time to stop neglecting my term papers. Wishful thinking. Also, again, if you have time, please tell me what you think in a review.


	2. Chapter 2: The Pact

Author's Note: If possible, I would like to find a beta reader for this story. Mostly someone to give me feedback on characterization and grammar. I know I said this chapter was finished when I posted the first chapter, but after some gruesome editing, this chapter looks nothing like its original. Please read and review.

Disclaimer: Yeah, you know the drill...I only own Davina.

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Counting the Differences

Chapter Two

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Shin smelled the familiar scent of boiled noodles as he and Davina leaned the colorful curtains aside and stepped into the Ramen-ya. He ordered for them each some tea and a bowl of ramen. He led them to the bar and rested himself in a center seat.

Davina slowly left her bag strap fall from her shoulder and moved it under her tall chair. Their tea arrived promptly and the young man poured an even portion into both cups. She scooted her chair forward then gripped the cup with both hands and brought the steaming cup to her lips. Her torso felt instantly better as she swallowed the hot tea with closed eyes. Her aching body felt collected, sitting in the tall chair next to her rescuer. She hadn't asked where they were going nor had he mentioned where he was taking her. She simply trusted her instincts that told her that she no longer needed to be afraid. She let out a deep relaxed breath then set the cup down.

Shin was satisfied in that she was enjoying her tea. The pale look of fright on her face and the random quivers that shook her as they walked to the Ramen-ya were diminishing. Shin touched his lips to the cup and drank, the guilt from yelling at her finally quietening.

Davina picked at her nails, listening to the sounds of soft chatter and the sizzling from the kitchen. She didn't want to seem rude but she knew her rudimentary Japanese couldn't do justice for the immense gratitude that she felt.

She felt the solid wood of the bar underneath her palms. The young man had already finished his tea and was pouring himself another cup. His hand reached over, took hers, his rings clicked against the ceramic container and topped off her cup.

Davina scratched the back of her neck, so unsure of how to express her thankfulness. "Arigatou gozaimasu."

He shoved her cup, the bottom scraped on the wooden top and set the cup next to her hand. She finally tilted her head up and saw him in the light for the first time. He rested his chin on his interlaced fingers, elbows balanced on the bar. He looked down at her with an expression of calm introversion. Was he sleepy, bored, or just calm? Davina couldn't attach that cool face to the body who had fought off her attackers.

Their ramen arrived in two decorated bowls. The boy to her left broke apart his chopsticks, dunk them into his bowl and slurped the noodles, his chopsticks following the noodles, bringing each bite to his teeth. Davina tore apart her chopsticks and slurped noodles into her mouth, her stomach rumbled hungrily when she swallowed. Her mouth dried and her stomach growled again, causing her throat to tighten. She eagerly vacuumed up more noodles down her throat, easing the hunger inside.

Hearing the animated and hearty slurps to the right of him, he hadn't expected her to enjoy the ramen so dearly. "Amerikanjin desu ka?" _Are you American? _The boy next to her muttered, not looking at her.

"Hmmm?" Davina's cheeks squeezed in mid-slurp. Ah yes, the "are you American?" question. She got this a lot where ever she went, especially when she spoke, revealing her 'American accent.' The problem was, the question, no matter how simple it sounded, had a complex answer. Well, technically, the answer was yes. She had an American passport, was an American citizen by birth, but had spent half her life surrounded by troops and ambassadors on US _soil_, thousands of miles away from America... But they didn't teach her how to say all of that in her Japanese courses. "Yes, I am American."

"Ehn." Shin mumbled to himself. He had seen American and other foreign teenagers around Tokyo. Some in uniforms, others in regular clothes, pattering away in dozens of foreign languages. Their features varying from the palest Caucasian, to medium Asian, to the darkest of African. Their parents were usually ambassadors, business people, government workers, foreign leaders, etc. He was sure the girl next to him was grouped into that category.

There was more silence between them, yet the background was active with more noises from the kitchen and other costumers. Davina formulated her next question in her head, trying to be grammatically correct and clear. "Anata wa—ehh, anata no...namae wa...nan desu ka?" _What's your name? _She asked, slowly, nodding her head in between pauses.

"Sawada, Shin." The boy said after finishing his bite of noodles, beholding the sight straight ahead.

_Sawada, Shin, Shin Sawada. _Davina practiced in her head. The young man who had saved her was Shin Sawada.

"Shin." Davina said then focused back on her ramen, unaware that Shin had turned his vision to her.

He had been hanging around between Minato and Roppongi that evening. He was supposed to meet up with his friends Kuma, Uchi, Noda, and Minami in a neighboring district, but he noticed the girl ducking her head, a perfect target for the gangsters who hunted the area for easy prey like her. His impulses kicked in when the club goers were chasing her. He shoved through the crowds and ran until he found her, right before she was almost thrown into the icy water. He had nearly lost them behind the urban structures, but then her screams echoed with the waves of the ocean, "_NO, NO, NO, NO!_"

Shin watched her pick at her food with the chopsticks, eating the noodles with genuine pleasure. After he had saved her, he was glad that her attackers were cowards who were beaten by a few shoves and punches. He was furious at the unidentified men for preying on the young lady but he was angry with the stranger next to him for being so timid. Before he saw her Caucasian features, he had yelled at her. "_You idiot! Walk with authority! Don't you know how easy you made yourself look?!_" But then her red hair fell back onto her shoulders and her teary green eyes pierced back into his brown set. His harsh words were for her benefit but the tears that seeped down her arms as she held her face told him that she didn't understand his words or his intentions. At that moment, he had scared her and was no different than her attackers. The pangs within were reassured by a quick glance to his right. She looked comfortable enough and didn't seem rushing to get away from him. Shin was nothing like those trashy men.

The young lady tucked her tresses behind the folds of her ears, still unaware of the young man's attention.

Shin bet that he could count the number of _natural _redheads he had ever seen on one hand. Her hair looked so alien to him, yet he didn't doubt that the color came from her own scalp. He suddenly didn't blame her for trying to hide in the crowds. Positive or not, he imagined she got a lot of attention for her differing features. They would have hunted after her regardless. Areas like that were popular with foreigners and sometimes they were the reasons why it was dangerous. She must have known that, but then, why was she in Roppongi?

"What's your name?" He asked, taking another bite.

She blinked. "Hmmm? My name? Davina, Davina Summons."

"Da-bi-eh... Da-vi-na Sa-min-su." Shin stuttered.

Davina couldn't help but smile. There was no true 'v' equivalent in Japanese so most trying to say her name just gave up and resorted to calling her "Da-bi-na." She wouldn't correct anyone, but the mispronunciation irked her, making her feel even more foreign.

"Da-vi-na, Sa-min-su-san." Shin attempted again, correctly.

"Shin. Shin Sawada." Davina said again, reaching for the last few bites of noodles left in her bowl.

Shin was internally amused by Davina's confusion with Japanese language and etiquette. When she spoke to him in Japanese, she used polite form, but she used his first name, a custom usually reserved for close friends. He didn't care enough to correct her.

Under them beeped a rhythmic tone. "Oh...my phone." Davina placed her feet the the tiled floor and grabbed her bag from underneath her chair. She unzipped a pocket and removed her cellphone, which glowed several colors along the edge while chirping a generic ring tone. She flipped open her phone with a click and read the caller ID. She raised an eyebrow. "My parents." She muttered to Shin, tucking her hair behind her ear to listen to the speaker. "I'm surprised, they usually don't get back so early."

She honestly didn't expect him to understand fully what she had said, so that's why she left his "ehh?" hanging without an answer. She waved around the curtain hanging at the front entrance and began talking to her mother in English.

Shin paired his chopsticks and set them on top of his bowl. His shoulders felt tense so he intertwined his fingers and stretched with a tired sigh. Tilted in his chair, it was the first time he had noticed how many people were staring, not just at Davina, but the two of them. Throughout the tiny restaurant, people made consistent glances, however curious, at Davina and Shin. He figured it was Davina's hair color or maybe the fact she with a Japanese native instead of a group of loud foreigners that attracted their interest.

He twisted his neck back at Davina behind the curtain signs, eyed her up and down, much to her lack of awareness, heavily engaged in her phone conversation. Her lips fluttering fast words into the receiver, completely different from the timid little girl he had been with for the past hour or so.

Another factor he hadn't noticed before were Davina's clothes. He hunched over his finished bowl, but noted the details of Davina's outlook. He could bet by her composure and sweater that she attended a rich foreigner's school. And what about those ballet shoes? He couldn't imagine that ballet was cheap. Her nails were manicured. Her arms, ears, and fingers were decorated with expensive jewelry. Her shoes, at least according to his initial glance, looked expensive. Regardless of how much her upkeep actually was, to him and to all the others in the restaurant and in the street, she was a high maintenance girl. And she was out, eating cheap ramen, with a punk.

Davina entered from under the curtain, shut the phone in her hand then tucked it back into the zipper pocket. Shin wondered if Davina's fast words were about the attack. Or if she had told her parents already, he hoped she had kept quiet about his involvement. His English was good, but they didn't teach you in school how to ask someone to keep a secret.

Davina tried compensate Shin for her share of the meals with what she was able to recover from her wallet and what her attackers hadn't stolen, but Shin wouldn't have any of it. "It's nothing."

She eventually gave up and put away her leather wallet, which, by the way, Shin thought, looked expensive. It didn't manner to him. After she went home the relation between them would end.

"Your parents," Shin began, Davina held her chin up, "are coming?"

Davin's lips thinned. "No. They are not."

Shin shoved his fists into his blazer pockets while Davina adjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder, fixing the buttoning on her sweater and tucked away stray hairs so they wouldn't get tugged.

"Wakatta." Shin said curtly. _Understood. _

They caught each others' eyes as if they were exchanging thoughts, because at that moment they both felt such mutual clarity that neither Shin or Davina could doubt that they understood each other for that second.

No, her parents couldn't have known. If they did, someone would have come for her and Shin would be alone again. Davina had her own concerns that kept her from telling her parents, and Shin had his desire for his act of kindness to be left uncelebrated.

They continued strolling down the street, occasionally making sly glances at each other without the others detection.

Shin swayed as his walked, Davina noticed. Very casual, easy going, quiet...not a single word from his mouth was wasted. She wondered about his blank expression and hoped he wasn't annoyed with her and wishing to get rid of her as soon as possible.

Davina's chin hit her chest, starring at her shoes, trying not to look over to her left at Shin again.

She was certain that Shin had compassion, otherwise he would have abandoned her in Minato, injured and in tears. When Shin saw her upset, he had stopped yelling at her, but what if that had only been because she couldn't understand Japanese? No, he had enough goodness within him to come and help. The area where she was being chased was busy and crowded, and yet he was the only one among all those people who came to her aid. She decided, allowing herself one last glance...this black pants and white shirt-wearing, shaggy haired young man was a nice guy.

"_What_?" He caught her staring at him, causing her head to jerk away, trying to make it seem as though she had been sightseeing the shops next to her the whole time. Her cheeks grew hot again.

"I live in Hardy Barracks." The words spewed out like vomit. "The base, north of Roppongi."

"Hmm?" Shin eyebrows twitched. "Haadi Barakusu?" The U.S. army base?

"Hardy Barracks, by Hardrock cafe...Fuji Xerox...." Davina listed, trying to draw a sort of reaction from Shin, starting to question if even he knew where to go. When his expression didn't change, she said, "damn it, what was it called...." Her fingers snapped, "umm...Donki?"

His poker face didn't budge. Davina didn't know what to do at this point. They had both managed to stop walking in unison. Davina put a hand to her hip, another to her chin, turning to see if she could recognize any of the shops, structures, _anything. _She heaved a frustrated sigh, reaching to get her phone.

Shin merely blinked, scoping the names of the stores and business around. Unbeknown to Davina, he was already calculating their route to their destination.

Her thumb flicked the phone and rubbed across the dial keys. She contemplated calling her parents, but didn't want to call her mother and admit that 'yes, she had been lying and was lost instead of not being far away' like what she had originally told her.

"Aami burato, da ne?" _An army brat, huh? _Shin muttered under his breath, catching Davina completely off guard.

The back of her neck chilled. "_What_ did you say?" Davina crossed her arms, tapping her foot. She was sure she had heard "army brat," but was still willing to give him the benefit of doubt.

And just then, she saw it. So slight she could have possibly only imagined it, but the corner of Shin's mouth tweaked into a curve. As quick as his smirk appeared, his lips flattened back to his usual blank expression.

Shin never answered. He merely sighed and continued up the road. Davina stood in his spot momentarily, arms still crossed. Just as she had left his question hanging back in the ramen joint, he was doing the exact something thing to her now. He still seemed like a nice guy, but something was a bit off....

Shin paused at the intersection, waiting for the light to let pedestrians cross. "You coming?" He cued, his back facing her.

Off or not, Davina decided she'd follow. After all, he never did say he didn't know where he was going, right? She had no reason not to trust him.

* * *

Davina was graceful as she walked, Shin noted. He had also noticed before in the restaurant how she _never _slouched, her back always perfectly straight. Her body simply flowed, not a single movement went unaccounted for. He recalled the ballet shoes he had handed back to her and figured her grace was in part due to her ballet.

Shin had caught her peering at him a couple of times. "_What?_" He had snapped, causing her turn the other direction, blushing, acting as though she hasn't been glancing at him. He was no mind reader, but he could see she had words on the tip of her tongue that for some reason, probably the language barrier, she couldn't express. Her lips would part, but she would give up and simper to herself.

She ducked her head a lot too, especially when passersby would bump their friends, directing their attention to her, whispering. She wasn't fluent in Japanese, but even she could tell that they were talking about her. She would merely cross her arms, pull her bag closer, lower her head, and stare at her shoes. Her discomfort was obvious and slightly painful to watch.

Shin thought of sparking up conversation for the sake of reminding her of his presence so she would stop cowering to herself. He ultimately decided against it. His English wasn't good enough and her Japanese probably wasn't either. What he was taught in class was only valuable enough to get him good marks. "The dog is not green. This is a pen." Not, "stand with authority even if you're scared, so goons like those two don't come near you."

"Kowai da...sometimes." _It's scary sometimes. _The wind had picked up in speed so she tightened her sweater around her waist.

"Are you...scared now?" Shin asked, his face tilted down at Davina.

Davina shook her head. "No." She said sincerely, her expression soft.

Their eyes looked into the each others for what seemed a long time until they both blinked away. It was silent between them for the rest of the way to Hardy Barracks.

* * *

The guards at the front gates gave Shin dirty glares.

Davina hadn't noticed, too busy producing her ID when the guard demanded her military identification. He inspected her card, compared her face to the photo then his white gloved hand gave the card back to her. "You may go through Ms. Summons."

She put away her card, then stepped back from the guards. "Shin, if you—"

"Daijoubu. I need to go home." _I'm alright._

Davina felt it again, the overwhelming gratefulness that burned so deeply to be expressed that she couldn't bare it. She bowed once more. "Arigatou gozaimashita."

A heavy hand tapped the top of her head. "It's...all...right." Shin said. He replaced his hand into his blazer pocket. He turned around and started to walk away.

The anxiousness in her gut didn't waiver. She still owed him. "Shin!" Her voice resonated down the street towards him.

He twisted around and saw her running after him a couple of steps behind. "Your phone!"

_Phone?_ Shin reached into his pocket for his cell, and she immediately pried it from his fingers. She activated the menu, clicked keys until her breathing calm and she handed it back to him.

Shin pressed the dial on his phone and noticed a new number ID reading "Davina Summons."

"Just in case...you ever need anything, _anything_. Give me a call." Davina wrapped her arms around her as the wind picked up again.

His reaction was minimal. She worried he would just delete her number and leave. However, he just put his phone into his back pocket then began walking away. She hadn't used his phone to call hers so she didn't have his number. The ball was in his court now, whether or not he ever did actually call. Due to his reaction, or lack of rather, she doubted he would ever call her for help. She could bet that whatever he could possibly need help for he imagined his impression of her was that she was too fragile to lend a helping hand.

Shin never glimpsed back at Davina as he strolled away from the army base. She eventually dropped her arms from her waist and turned around for home deciding she would never see Shin again. And she didn't quite know how she felt about that.

* * *

Shin didn't glimpse back because he was already sure that he would never meet Davina again. As he headed towards his apartment, he looked at Davina's ID and number in his phone. He'd surely never use it, the gesture of offering her number, he was sure, was to ease the guilt she felt for being a burden to him.

Opening the door of his suite, her number was still lite in his phone. He couldn't bring himself to delete it and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

* * *

The next morning, Shin climbed the backstairs into class, tardy as usual, barely acknowledging 3-D's new teacher. A piece of paper and chalk in her hand, the opening door caught her attention. "Sawada, don't be late!"

Shin sat in his desk, zoned Yankumi's voice out, and addressed his friends with a slight nod.

"That new teacher really pisses me off." Noda muttered.

"Shin," Uchi began, Shin merely blinked, "what happened last night?"

"Eh?" Shin voiced.

"Last night?" Minami slouched in his chair.

"I went abroad, to US soil." He stated simply.

"What?" Kuma uttered, eyes squinted.

"Huh?" Shin's mouth hung open.

Uchi, Noda, Kuma, and Minami all leaned in, expecting an explanation.

"It's nothing." Shin said then yawned.

The four boys sighed, resigning their urge to ask anymore questions.

"Agh, Shin never tells us anything!" Kuma groaned.

Shin glanced among his four friends, realizing their slight irritation and dissatisfaction. He technically hadn't lied to them. He just wasn't about to give the full female details of who had occupied his night. Davina's trusting face flashed in his mind, their conversation replaying in his head.

_"Kowai da...sometimes."_

_"Are you...scared now?"_

_"No."_

Shin remembered Davina's number in his phone, still saved. Her willingness to trust him so soon and eagerness to repay him was strange to him. He'd delete her number and name eventually, at that moment all he wanted was a nap.

Last night was nothing. Last night couldn't be more than nothing.

* * *

Author's note: A tad longer than I expected. I was thinking of saving that last bit for the next chapter, but decided it best to be consistent in time within chapters. Please read and review.


	3. Chapter 3: The Favor

Author's note: Please read and review. I would love to know what I need to improve on and what is liked about the story. Also, this entry is nearly twice as long as the previous chapters. And thank you to Cheri for your short, but sweet review.

Disclaimer: I own everyone that you don't recognize in this chapter. I also don't own the scenes from episode four that I rephrased for my story. Please don't sue.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Three

* * *

_The Morning After Shin and Davina's meeting..._

Davina's mother had asked about the scratches on her arms and cheeks.

"_The ground." The words flew from her mouth with ease._

_Her mother didn't doubt her simple explanation. "Shouldn't ballerinas have more balance than that?!"_

_Davina smiled back. She hadn't lied._

* * *

_Several Weeks later..._

Davina fumbled with her locker combination and opened her locker to put away her math textbook. Overwhelmed with sleepiness, she tried to rub the dryness from her eyes, but the loud yawn she exhaled further punished her for doing her ballet repetitions late into the night, instead of sleeping. Luckily, the day was half over, and after class, all she would need to do was buy some new pointe shoes.

A short thin girl headed the down hall towards Davina with a sympathetic smile on her face. Her hair hung in waves just on her shoulders. Davina admired her outfit composed of a ruffled short-sleeved, black collared, gray mini dress with long dark tights with high top boots. "Dressed cute as always Mira," Davina smiled at her shorter friend, who grinned and gave a curtsy.

"Thank you, Davina. Oh, by the way, have you had your meeting with your counselor yet?" Mira asked leaning coolly against the lockers. Davina shut her locker with an annoyed sigh.

"Not yet, and I really don't care to. Just another lecture about my 'undecided' future. Did you have yours?"

Mira gave her another sympathetic look of understanding. "Mine just finished actually. I told her that I wanted to continue ballet, but only in college. I've noticed the meetings usually go by quicker and painlessly if you just say you're going to college."

Davina laughed, "I could learn a thing or two from you." As they were approaching the end of their high school years, their school assigned more and more meetings for students with future-advisers and counselors. Trying to help them decide whether not they were going to attend university in Japan or in the United States, and to inform them about deadlines. Many here at this school, Davina noticed, opted to join the armed forces or go into politics or international relations or business. These future-meetings didn't go so well for Davina. Her stubborn counselor would simply disregard her wishes and simply would write in her file "undecided" when Davina said she wanted to become a professional ballerina. "I expect mine today to be no different."

"Are your parents getting on to you about college applications?" Mira asked, ambling with Davina to lunch.

"They have since the seventh grade. When they noticed I was getting serious about this 'ballet thing.'" Davina said, mimicking her father's voice whenever he spoke with her about her future.

Mira giggled. "I'm guessing your dad isn't too happy about it?"

"He doesn't want me to get my hopes up, apparently. My mom is a little more understanding, she thinks I should consider doing ballet in college, but majoring in something with 'marketable skills.'" Davina said, again mimicking.

"So what do you plan on doing?"

"I'll probably fill out the applications anyway. Just to appease my parents and the teachers here. I'm still trying to audition for S.A.B."

Mira nodded her head. S.A.B., or the School of American Ballet in New York city, was Davina's dream. Mira tried not to get Davina hyped up on the discussion, knowing that Davina was still bitter about leaving New York just months before the academy's winter term. Davina's mood grew sullen. Her parents were held to the word of the military and the government, and if they had allowed her to stay in New York by herself, she bet she would be in S.A.B. right now, instead of Japan.

Mira sensed Davina's depression. "Have you been given the 'okay' to fly to New York for the school's audition?"

Davina shook her head, rolling her eyes, reliving the many talks she had had with her parents about the audition. "Not yet, supposedly they don't want me to fly in New York and stay by myself for a few days. I'm trying to see if my mom could take me, but she is apparently considering it with her boss." Davina folded two of her fingers like quotation marks.

"The rumors are that Victoria is sure to get in to S.A.B., with the money her parents donated. Apparently she'll be joining you in New York for the auditions. Just what I heard." Mira pushed the sliding doors aside and both girls walked into the noisy cafeteria. Mira and Davina waved to their friend, Jayla who was already at their signature table by the window.

Davina had twitched at Mira's mention of Victoria. She had been one of the first people Davina had been acquainted with at her new school. Victoria was so nice at first, but when Davina openly said she was planning to go pro in ballet and wished to be accepted in the S.A.B., her expression with Davina changed like night and day. Her composure grew cold and her genuine welcoming smile soured. "Too bad, we have to be rivals now. Because there is no way I'm letting some new girl get into S.A.B. and not me."

Davina didn't let her internal bitterness reached her face. "I hope that is just a rumor. I don't want to deal with her and my parents." Davina pulled out a chair from across Jayla, Mira doing the same.

"Deal with who?" Jayla chimed in, spinning the back of her earring. Jayla was beautiful, genetically a mutt, mixed with just about _everything._ Davina often called her the human equivalent of New York city. Tall, dark-skinned, soft featured, and elegant. Such majesty came through in her ballet dancing and was artistic enough to make Davina envious and wish she could be at least half as elegant as Jayla. Clad in a bright green top, her dark skinny jeans made her already long body look taller.

"Victoria," Davina retorted with a groan as all three of them glanced to the right at the center table. As if cued, Victoria, a tall, confident, girl stood from her table, laughing with her large group of friends. Her attention turned to Davina's table, as though she had sensed their glances. She made eye contact with each of the three girls, hers staying with Davina slightly longer than Mira and Jayla.

"Don't pay attention to her. Isn't it a bit early for Vicky's mind games?" Jayla stabbed her fork into her plate of vegetables.

"Sad part is that we four might have been good friends if we weren't all doing ballet." Mira reasoned in jest.

"I kind of don't blame her, the chance to be in the School of American Ballet is at stake. If the competition gets soft, she'll ease right in and get chosen by a company." Davina added.

Jayla dropped her utensils and quickly wiped her lips. "Speaking of S.A.B.," she incited. "Guess what I heard?"

Mira and Davina shrugged at each other and leaned in closer.

"S.A.B. is going to hold auditions for the first time in Tokyo!" Jayla whispered, fighting excited giggles.

"What?!" Davina's voice squeaked, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Shhh!" Jayla waved a fluttering hand, looking cautiously around see if Davina's gasp had attracted any nosy attention.

"Why?" Mira whispered in a raspy voice. "Don't they only hold them in New York?"

"And who did you hear this from?" Davina interrupted, not to allowing herself to get too excited before knowing how trusted and reputed was the source.

Jayla looked behind her both her shoulders once more, reassured that no one else was listening, she continued with her news. "Because their current star Kasuse, Nao, offered the school a very, very large lump sum of money under the condition that they go to Japan to recruit for their next winter term. Her reason being that distance shouldn't be why talented young girls don't go after their dreams. They are still going to hold their usual auditions in New York, but they are also holding them here for diverse recruitment. And for your information, Davina, my source was none other than Kasuse's former dance instructor, Joshujo-sensei."

Both Mira's and Davina's eyes grew wide and their jaws dropped. Joshujo was a big deal in dance.

Jayla laughed gleefully at their reactions. "I overheard my ballet instructor talking with her after my class yesterday."

"You mean eavesdropped— " Mira added playfully, causing Jayla to glare at her.

"Overheard! Not eavesdropped. I was late putting away my things, and they were next to the locker room. They were _begging_ someone to overhear with how loud they were speaking. I swear, my instructor hears me speak Japanese to her all the time, yet she still thinks I'm some incoherent idiot."

"You probably speak better than any of us in class." Mira agreed, before taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Overheard or not, that saves me half a dozen fights with my parents and a six thousand mile trip to New York." Davina mixed her salad, more cheerful than she had been in a while. "Will any of you consider auditioning?" Davina asked.

"Well..." Jayla hesistated.

"Excuse me? I thought the reason neither of you were going to audition was because you didn't want to bother going all the way to New York?" Davina asked her unsure friends.

"Oh Davina, you know we never wanted to go pro." Mira said, Jayla nodded her head, chewing on her food. "I'm perfectly fine with doing ballet as a past time."

"I just wanna teach ballet. If it'll make you feel better, I'll at least consider talking to them about becoming a ballet teacher when they're visiting Japan." Jayla reassured Davina.

Davina sighed, turning back to her food. "It's not about making me feel better, it's about not giving up because everyone wants us to grow up."

Jayla scoffed. "Is this about the counselor meetings?!"

Mira gave Davina a small hug, "I wouldn't mind going pro, I just have other interests that I would rather pursue. I can forgive myself for changing my plans. Which isn't necessarily giving up. Besides, I was never serious about becoming a professional dancer."

"Me too. Also, I don't think I'm where I should be for my age, if I were to audition for S.A.B.," Jayla began.

"What do you mean?" Mira asked.

"I'm almost eighteen years old. There are girls younger than us who are at S.A.B. and other academies who are already pro." Said Jayla.

"Stop it, you're making me feel old." Davina muttered. Jayla flashed her teeth in between thin lips, realizing her mistake. Davina was worried if she didn't make the academy this year, it would be her final shot. The life of a dancer was short and she was spending her prime within school walls, unable to commit herself to an academy because of her parents wishes for her to live with them until she was of age. Mira and Jayla met eyes, mouthing silently their worries for Davina.

Out of no where, Jayla smiled. "Well, I'm done with my lunch. You two want to go outside and enjoy the sun for the rest of lunch period?" Jayla stood up, grabbing her school bag.

"I'm up for that. Davina?" Mira also stood and cohering Davina, trying to use peer pressure to get Davina to join them.

Davina, however, smiled back, but declined their offer. "You two go ahead, I have to go to the library to do the English homework I didn't finish last night."

Mira and Jayla looked at each other, internally debating whether or not persist further on. "Are you sure? We can go with you?" Jayla insisted.

Davina now stood, throwing away her half eaten lunch. "No, I must go do that homework. My parents will take me out of ballet if my grades drop. You two go enjoy the weather." With a quick, "bye," Davina showed a forced smile then left the cafeteria in haste.

Davina realized their worries for her, but all she wanted now was to be alone. She walked across the school to the library. Choosing a table in the very back, behind dozens of shelves full of books. She opened her textbooks and flipped her notebook to an unfinished book report. Taking a deep breath, she pushed all of her bad feelings away from her mind, trying to focus on her report that was due in half an hour.

On her journey to become a professional ballerina, she would have to go through it alone.

* * *

That same afternoon, Shirokin gakuen was rushed with wide-eyed concerned mothers, shaking photos of Fujiyama sensei as a hostess at the head teacher. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Back in class 3-D, a classmate rolled in on a scooter. "Shizuka-chan's working part-time as a bar hostess!"

The boys in the class clamored, practically jumping from their seats. "Eh? Really? No way!"

The boy on the scooter rode on to his desk. "I don't know who, but someone ratted her out. Head teacher is really furious."

The rest of the class was alive with speculative conversation, everyone except Shin and Noda. Shin spotted a distressed Noda, fidgeting every so often, head hanging low.

Just then, Yankumi returned to the room and ignored the questioning boys, and walked straight up to Noda.

Noda looked from the corner of his eye at Yankumi, but kept his head down. Everyone became silent.

"Was it you? Was it you who sent the photo to Head teacher?" Her voice rang deeply, her body tense and stiff.

Noda's hand dropped from his chin and he slouched into his chair. He finally said, "what I did?"

Yankumi snapped, "what would you do a thing like that for?"

Noda stood. "So? It's the truth! That woman was working as a hostess at a bar!"

"It doesn't mean you can do something like that!"

"So teachers can get away with everything?!" Noda yelled back. "It's her fault. She took my present and threw it in the trash." His eyes dropped with the weight of his words. Everyone is the room could sense the excruciating pain he must have felt. Yankumi could even feel sympathetic, but all mercy left her when he continued. "It serves her right. Right?"

She punched him and dared to hit him again, but was held back by her arms. She continued to yell at him. "Is that the extent of your love? If you felt better after ratting her out, you don't deserve to love anyone!"

Blood dripped from Noda's lip. He had never seen Yankumi so passionately angry and he had never been so angry with himself. "Shut up!" He bumped Yankumi away and ran from the room despite worried shouts from his classmates.

* * *

It was the end of the school day for Davina, with the exception of her counselor meeting. Hers was the last of the day, leaving her to dread the last fifteen minutes that she was dismissed from class. She even considered skipping the whole thing and just leave early to go do her errands, but the good girl within her insisted she attend the meeting. "Undecided" will only take a few minutes.

She gently knocked on her counselor's wooden door. "Come in," called from the other side.

Davina timidly walked in and sat in the assigned empty chair for students.

The counselor was a middle-aged woman with blonde hair, but graying roots. She smiled sweetly at Davina, but was obviously tired from a long day of coaching students to higher education. "How are you, Davina?"

"I'm well, thank you, you?" Davina added politely.

"I'm good, just waiting for the end of the day." She rested in her leather chair, her elbows on the armrests, hands clasped in her lap. Davina nodded her head in agreement. The air between them stiffened and the pause grew awkward.

"Have you and your parents discussed your future prospects?" Her counselor asked.

Davina remembered her tiresome arguments with her parents, knowing there was no way she could fully explain what she and her parents had talked about. "We're still discussing it."

"Are you still considering ballet as a career?" The counselor tilted her head in a way that annoyed Davina. Considering? When was there ever any other option? But since when could she say all of that to her counselor?

"I'm thinking about auditioning for the School of American Ballet."

Her counselor slowly nodded her head though Davina wasn't sure what she was actually listening to her. "Do you think you can make it?"

Davina was taken back. What? What kind of a question was that? "I'm good."

Her counselor opened the black binder on the ride side of her desk. "What about a good fine arts school? You can do ballet in college? How does that sound?"

Here we go again. Davina used all her might to not let her inner anger reach her external. What would Davina give to tell this woman that while her intentions were good and fully understood, she was wasting her time. Unconsciously, her boot started tapping on the carpet. Her hand brushed her bangs and secured her ponytail. "Yeah, I'll definitely think about it."

Her counselor's lips curved. She handed Davina some college brochures, mostly schools along the East coast of the United States.

She took the brochures and gave them a quick glance. "Is that all?"

The woman's cheeriness evaporated. "Now Davina, I'm saying this for your benefit, not to hurt your feelings. But the reason I am insisting that you reconsider your decision is because young adults your age go through many changes and often switch majors and pathways in life like"—she snapped her fingers— "that. If for some reason you were unable to continue ballet, I'm just trying to—

The final bell rang for dismissal, shadows of students passed along the peak window on her door. Davina stood, glad for the bell. "Is that all?"

The counselor sighed in defeat and gave Davina a smile. "Please consider those options with your parents. Come by and we'll discuss them again. You may go."

With a quick nod, Davina took her school bag and left.

* * *

Yankumi became worried as her students groaned amongst themselves. The immediate census was that thirty points for their upcoming English midterm was nearly impossible for all of them to achieve.

"Are you all really that stupid?" Yankumi asked. Throughout her homeroom, the boys were lowering the confidence that she had walked in with. Single digit scores? Best ever score of eighteen?

Really? Yankumi thought. Still, she looked at Noda's empty desk and quickly decided what she needed to do. "Alright, from today until the day of midterms, I will tutor after school for English."

The boys whining pierced even louder. "ARGH! WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?"

Yankumi didn't raise her voice though. "After school, bring your books, study materials, every resource you have. Everyone do your best!" She raised an arm dramatically with a smile.

Shin, sitting on top of his desk, stared at Noda's vacant desk. "...every resource you have," echoed in Shin's mind and Davina offering her number flashed in his memory. "If you ever need anything, _anything_, give me a call." He continued staring at Noda's desk, remembering his anguish. "...every resource you have."

Shin decided, in class, that he wouldn't call Davina. She wouldn't be much of a resource if no one had shown up for the tutoring session, but then Kuma did something so uncharacteristic of him. He turned around as they were walking out of school to participate in Yankumi's study group. To Shin, it was remarkable when both Minami and Uchi followed as well.

In their respective homeroom, Shin looked over the study material that Yankumi had provided for them. Despite her honest efforts, they were riddled with spelling mistakes and awkward grammar. He didn't point them all out to her, except for the missing "E" on the front page; English wasn't her designated subject after all.

For their first tutoring session, Yankumi went over the alphabet and cursive, which luckily were in one of her books that were stacked high on her desk. She taught them the alphabet song, which aroused such excitement from the boys that they vowed, much to Shin's annoyance, that they sing the song all the way home. Shin was firm in his wishes that NO he didn't want to join in and that YES he did want to walk several steps behind the ABC choir.

When the boys were strolling along the river, shouting "ABC..." off key at the top of their lungs, Shin spotted, lay hidden in the tall grass, Noda. Eventually Uchi, Minami, and Kuma stopped singing long enough to notice Shin standing, nudging his chin up for them to look down towards the river.

When Uchi called for Noda, Noda turned and lifted himself weakly, as though he were previously dreaming.

"It's possible that Fujiyama might get fired." Shin stated, causing Noda to jerked his head.

"Fired?!"

"She won't," Shin continued. "If everyone in 3-D gets thirty points on the English midterm." He reached for the papers in Kuma's hand to show Noda. "She's not just doing it for Fujiyama, she's doing it for your sake as well."

Noda seemed to turn over Shin's words, digesting them mentally, but then ran away without warning. Noda's disgruntled face was enough for Shin to reconsider his decision. Again without warning, he left his friends by the river, phone already in hand.

"Oi, Shin! Where are you going?" Uchi yelled.

"Gathering another resource." Shin muttered to himself.

The boys, not hearing his answer, scowled amongst themselves. Why were their friends always running off?

* * *

Davina threw herself onto her bed and stretched limply. Screw buying pointe shoes. She had just barely enough time and energy to come home, eat because she hadn't finished her lunch and take a short nap before she went off for her ballet lessons. She had convinced herself that she would use this as leeway time for homework if she ended up not buying her shoes, but again, she thought, screw that.

Her eyes stared straight to the ceiling of her simple room. When Davina was younger she was persistent about hanging posters and decorations in her room, but eventually grew discouraged as it felt as soon as she hung her decor, she needed to take them down again.

She paid attention to the time, yet allowed herself to relax and dose off for a bit, trying to comprehend the events of the day. If Jayla's sourcing was legitimate, which they probably were, S.A.B. was coming to Tokyo and nothing was going to stop her from auditioning. Davina wondered if she should inform her parents, though they might only halfheartedly approve, surely they wouldn't say no? Or worse, they wouldn't actually try to prohibit her from going?

Yes, Davina thought to herself. Even she could admit that she was frightened by the impending expiration date for dancers. But why couldn't the world just let her dance until her body said for her to stop? She could always go back to school but dancing was a ticking clock.

Speaking of clock...Davina drowsily turned her neck to the digital clock on her dresser. The cruel numbers of 18:34 glared harshly, making her eyes squint. 6:34...less than twenty minutes to make to get up, get her things, walk to the train station, ride the train to Shinjuku and get dressed for her ballet lesson... Davina practically threw herself from her bed and grabbed her dance bag. Running around her room, her cellphone began ringing. She cursed to herself. Probably her mom, asking if she had left for ballet yet. She let it go to voice mail. Throwing a light jacket over her arm, Davina threw her phone into her ballet bag and ran.

* * *

Shin got her voice mail. He ended the call. Go figure, he thought. Whatever happened to "give me a call if you need anything!" But then again, she might of simply missed the call. He recalled the time he had helped her several weeks ago. It was night then and she was obviously just finishing with her ballet. Putting the phone back into his pocket, he thought up of another way to get a hold of Davina.

* * *

Davina dragged her weak self up the station stairs of Minato, moaning with each step. She had just _barely _made it to her class. She was out of breath and her back was already wet with sweat, but she had made it. The other girls were already at the barre warming up. Davina made it to her position, and began warming up, ironically her heart was pounding from stress.

Checking her phone for the time, her screen showed one missed call. After pressing the menu button, it revealed the call from a local number. A local Japanese number...could it have been...? Damn it! The original call was hours ago. Why didn't she answer?! Davina pressed the call button. Her gut quivered and her heart pounded in her throat as the line beeped. She couldn't recall a time she had been more nervous about a phone call.

It had been weeks since she had seen or heard Shin, but instantly recognized his voice when he answered.

Shin had had his phone ready in his hand to call her once more, but she had beat him to the punch. "Moshimoshi, Davina..."

"Shin..."

"I need a favor." He said.

"What? What kind of favor?" She walked on with the crowd, finger in one ear, the phone receiver on the other. She searched for an empty spot by the station to stand away from the rushing crowd where she could focus on her conversation with Shin. She didn't want to appear spacey, trying to keep her tone interested. She couldn't believe she was actually having this phone call with him.

"It's a favor for a friend. Starting tomorrow. Can you help?" He asked her, as though it were so simple for her to give him an answer.

Davina bit her lip. All the errands she hadn't completed for that day were shoved off for tomorrow. Judging by the softness of the box in her current ballet shoes, she needed to buy another pair immediately. She had also hoped to start formulating a plan for her audition, including date, routine, resume, parents, everything. She also wanted to stay regular in her workouts to stay slim as well as fluid in her ballet movements. She also had actually wanted to get some college research done as well as starting on a few applications. Not to mention all the homework she had been putting off... As if she could say all that to Shin, especially when she had never in her wildest imagination think that he would dare to call her for help.

"Yes, I'll help, with anything remember?" She said clearly, declaring her reliability, even to herself.

The phone line went dead. What? Davina checked her phone screen and confirmed that her phone hadn't randomly lost reception and hung up on him. Her phone was fine; he had ended the call before he could give her anymore information...

Davina suddenly felt a familiar presence behind her. Slowly turning around, she nearly jumped. There stood Shin, as casual as she remembered, putting his phone away into his blazer pocket, carrying a fold of papers. Where the hell did he come from?! Did he teleport or something?

"Sorry, I missed your first call. I was late for ballet." Davina explained.

"Sorry, I didn't make a second call." Shin sighed.

Huh? How long had he been watching her? Davina speculated.

Shin had been waiting for her, waiting by the Minato station. He was going to watch her reaction when he called again, making sure she wasn't intentionally missing his calls. Yet Davina had surprised him by sincerely returning his call.

"What do you need help with Shin?" Davina asked.

Again, she called him Shin. So polite but so personal with him. He didn't correct her again, understanding that it in part due to her western roots.

Not a favor for himself, Shin thought. Without saying a word, he handed her the fold of papers he was carrying. Her fingertips gripped the corners. She could only read bits of the kanji, but she caught the English mistake towards the middle of the sheet. "Let's Bigin!"

"There should be an E there, not an I..." She flipped the page. "Oh my word..." She muttered under her breath. Spelling mistakes, tense problems, missing articles...is _this _how they taught students English here...? No wonder...

Shin read the expression on her face, seeing that she understood part of her task. "Everyone in my class must get thirty points on their English midterm next week."

Analyzing the study sheets for another moment or so, she flipped the sheet. Shin's English was so good though, it didn't make sense. "How bad is everyone else?"

Shin nodded his head. "Bad."

Not quite what Davina expected for answer but it told her all that she needed to know. "What time tomorrow?"

"After school. I'll come get you from ASIJ." Shin said.

Wait a minute...how did he know which school to find her at?

"Your sweater. ASIJ." Shin must have seen her look of confusion. Ah yes, the sweater she had worn the _last time _they had met several weeks ago. But that was forever ago, it seemed, how did he recall such minute details with such precision? Davina grunted to herself, could this boy read minds too?

She expected him to depart however he slouched against the stone wall of the station, watching her, indicating he was waiting for her.

"Doushita?" _What's up? _Davina asked.

"Aren't I walking you home?" Shin asked simply.

"Hmm?" Davina felt her cheeks go pink. "Sure..."

Shin straightened and they walked next to each other in the crowd. More than a couple of times she accidentally bumped into him, causing her heart to patter excitedly in her chest. She peered up at Shin, surprised at how he had turned his head down to her too.

Davina scoffed at herself. Oh Davina, what is wrong with you? He's just a boy. Walking with him is no big deal.

"Starting tomorrow...midterm next week," Shin had said. Davina sighed to herself. It wasn't as though she didn't want to help but with this new task she didn't know how was she going to survive that week. She allowed herself another look at Shin and his calm introversion. She didn't mind being held accountable for her offer, she just hated the rotten timing. Davina heaved another sigh, regardless of her demanding agenda, she'd figure out a way to take care of everything.

* * *

Author's note: Yes, I know it was a long chapter. Please read and review and tell me what you think.


	4. Chapter 4: Greetings, 3D

Hello kids, let me just start by saying that this chapter is _long_ compared to the first three chapters. It was hard for me to write—no scratch that—I made it hard on myself to write it. I was also worried about keeping the length consistent, but the chapter didn't want to end below seven thousand words, so be it. Thirteen pages later in my word document, I finally found what I thought was a good stopping point. I suppose it really doesn't matter.

Major thank yous to Cheri and rainbow-kitten91 for reviewing the last chapter! I too was excited to write how the 3-D boys react to meeting Davina and vice versa. This chapter required a lot of work and I hope it paid off.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Four

* * *

The alarm roared at _stupid_ o'clock. Slapping a loose fist on the off button, Davina swore that she should have had a least a couple of more hours to sleep. Night time seemed so rushed lately...

Her body, still half asleep, at first wouldn't listen when she tried leave bed. You need Pointe shoes or you'll hurt your feet. You need to help Shin and his class because you owe him. In between all of that you must put on your make up, get dressed, get money for shoes, go to school, and go to ballet...she reminded herself. Her willing mentality was all that she had to let go of her pillow.

She crawled from her warm bed then staggered to her dresser, her spine shivered in shock from the sudden change in temperature. Turning on the light on her mirror, the dim light made her eyes shut involuntarily. After her vision adjusted, she put two fingers under her red eyes, analyzing the purple puffiness under her bottom lids.

After several layers of concealer, powder, and a fast wardrobe change, Davina shut the door of her bedroom behind her. She stepped down the stairs with not one but two bags, one strap on each shoulder.

Her mom peered up from her toast and jelly, while folding the morning newspaper and spreading the multiple sheets across the tiny kitchen table. "You're up early Davina, what's the occasion?" She asked in French.

"Yeah..." Davina sighed, replying in French. Her mother, a French-native, was fluent in both French and English, but refused to use English with Davina, but conversed with her husband in English. "I'm going to go buy new Pointe shoes. Mine are getting too soft to practice with now. A few more releves and the shank will probably snap."

Her mother was of shorter stature than Davina and she wore her hair short, dyed darker than her natural brown hue. Her dark eyes were large and bagged from age. "I swear you're my sister's, not mine." Her mother would joke with Davina, as Davina's aunt was the only redhead among brunettes on her mother's side.

Davina thought her mother was a beautiful lady, and could see why her father fell head over heels in love with her at first sight. Her French features had differed from the American girls her father had dated. They were young when they had met each other in Algeria, both abroad for government and military prospects. "It was her smile," her father had said. "I was a free man before she had smiled at me." Her father's stories became Davina's definition of love. She hadn't experienced romance yet but she imagined love as an internal inhibition that could turn the boldest and strictest of army men into stammering, love-struck third graders.

"Why are you going so early? Can't you go after school?" Davina's mother inquired, taking a crunchy taste of her jam covered toast.

"Um," Davina couldn't decide if to tell her mother about the tutoring. It wasn't that her mother would have had a problem with the English tutoring, hell, she might have even encouraged the activity. It was the fact that the tutoring had originated from Shin saving her. She would eventually tell her mother that she was tutoring English...just not today. "I want to break in my shoes and sew on the ribbons because Madame has two classes back-to-back and we don't have enough time before class. May I have some money to buy them?" She changed the subject, taking a plate of toast to the table. She then poured herself a glass of orange juice.

Her mom drank some of her steaming latte from her mug with squinted eyes. "Go get my purse."

Davina handed her mother's purse by the strap for her kitchen chair to her mother. Her mother took out her wallet and filed through the different currencies, eventually passing to Davina ¥13,000, enough for at least two pairs of slippers.

"Start buying two pairs from now on, it'll save you a trip every couple or so weeks. Do you have your foot measured?" Her mom sternly asked, sliding the bills into Davina's outstretched hand.

"Ma, I haven't grown. I've been the same measurements for two years now." Davina deposited the money into her wallet.

Here she goes again, Davina's mother thought as she rolled her eyes at her newspaper. It was too early in the day for her to argue with Davina. "Right, right."

"Is dad awake yet?" Davina finished her toast and juice, standing up to put her dishes into the sink.

"He will be, in about ten minutes." Her mother said, turning the page of her newspaper.

It _is_ early, Davina thought bitterly as she yawned. Her father had been the one to lecture Davina, in his harsh Bostonian accent, on waking up earlier, "sleep early and get up early, or you'll waste your day in bed."

She even daydreamed as she put away her dishes of taking a pot and banging on it like tone-deaf two year old next to her father's ear, just as payback for all those years of not letting her sleep in. Her father wouldn't find it funny though, he'd probably snap her in half like toothpicks.

Though it would probably be the only chance Davina would ever have to give her father a taste of his own medicine, she didn't have time to be snapped in half. Instead, she scraped off the bread crumbs from her palms then took the straps of her schoolbag and her dance bag to her shoulders. She felt heavy as she balanced, unable to imagine making it through the day. "Say bye to dad for me."

* * *

The sun hung low in the eastern sky, giving birth to a beautiful day. Tokyo was a gorgeous city, especially in the morning, Davina thought as she admired the urban scenery through her sunglasses. It was in those times of wonder, exploring a city and a city's people from the eyes of a foreigner that Davina was thankful for her army-brat background. The cultural stimulation as her father had preached made her lucky to be able to live in more countries than many could ever visit. "Because you speak these languages, because you have lived in these places, you are more interesting and no matter what you decide to do in your life, you will always have that." Her mother had often told her.

Davina followed a couple of Japanese junior high students down the train stairs. She rubbed her rail pass on the ticket sensor and pushed through the bars to the platform. Walking briskly under the direction signs that hung overhead, Davina remembered getting accustomed with the Tokyo metro system when she had first arrived.

There were _so _many different lines that she kept mixing up which ones led to home in Roppongi and which ones led up Shinjuku for her ballet class. Back then, the stations were mazes themselves. Davina had always been directional-savvy but when she got to the Tokyo station for the first time, it frustrated her to no end how she couldn't find the _correct _(why did there need to be more than one?!) North-West station exit to meet with Mira and Jayla to go to some famous bookstore.

After going down another flight of stairs, Davina walked up the platform, away from the stairs to get on one of the first train cars where there was usually more room. If she could avoid standing, she would prefer that to standing, otherwise the weight of her bags would drag her every which way whenever the train accelerated and braked.

Davina spotted a group of male high school students toward the end of the platform, uniformed, slouched, and casual. She immediately thought of Shin and wondered if he was also getting ready for school at the moment. He played off the attitude of being "too cool for school," but in the few hours that she had been with him, he didn't come off as dumb. Actually, he came off as rather intelligent, which was why she was astounded when he showed her the English study sheet.

Davina acknowledged that she didn't have all the facts yet, but she knew that something didn't fit when the study worksheet went over the alphabet and rudimentary vocabulary. The fact that Shin could form an entire sentence perfectly in English meant that something didn't fit.

"_How bad is everyone?"_

"_Bad."_

The train blew its horn and everyone crowded the platform edge. The train slowed and came to a steaming stop. Davina looked back to the high school students, but only caught a glimpse of their uniforms amongst the crowd boarding the train. Seeing no empty seats, Davina gripped a sling that hung on the train bars. She was admittedly curious about Shin and the so-called 3D class and was a little excited about this tutoring thing.

* * *

"Ohayo gozaimasu." _Good morning. _Davina bowed her head as she entered the dance supplies shop. The old keeper bowed her head and returned the greeting, "ohayo gozaimasu."

Since Davina got on the train, she was preparing herself on making her shoe order in perfect Japanese. She practiced over and over again in her head, and verified the definitions in her pocket translator until she was confident that she was ready to conduct her order without speaking a single English word.

She took a deep a breath. "I need size 7 French Sansha shoes and size 35 in Russian pointe shoes, medium to regular width, please." She said in Japanese. She exhaled, satisfied in her speech.

The old shopkeeper just smiled at first. "I'm sorry, I don't speak English." The shopkeeper responded to her in English.

Davina's head jerked forward. She didn't know whether she was amused or just dumbfounded. Really? Really? But I just spoke to you in Japanese?! Eventually Davina sighed and handed the shopkeeper a sheet with her measurements and preferred manufacturers. The old shopkeeper smiled sweetly then left through a door behind the register counter to the shoe warehouse to find her shoes.

Davina meanwhile hovered around the shop, glancing at the vividly colored and intricately detailed costumes, and the displays of basic ballet slippers, Pointe, and Demi-Pointe shoes. She heard chatter at the front and saw the shopkeeper carrying two shoe boxes, speaking excitedly with her coworker. They both stared with obvious fascination at Davina.

The shopkeeper whispered to her coworker then gave another pleasant smile at Davina as she walked up the register with her wallet. Davina was starting to wonder if she had been perfect in ordering in Japanese because the shopkeeper and her coworker seemed really comfortable with talking about her _in front _of her.

"See! I told you!" The shopkeeper said to her coworker.

"It really is red! Red hair! Natural red hair! It's cool isn't it? She looks beautiful, doesn't she?" Her coworker replied.

Davina paid her yen into the money plate by the register. _I'm standing right here!_ Davina's mind screamed. _Don't think that I don't understand..._

The shopkeeper counted her bills and replaced coins to the plate. Davina took her change and carefully set her shoe boxes into her dance bag. The two Japanese women continued to exchange their compliments about Davina. She only wished that they would actually realize her presence and at least quietly talk instead of loudly discussing their excitement about her hair.

Putting her bag straps on her shoulder, Davina smiled and said, "wakatta." _I understood. _She left the shop to the sound of the two ladies' laughing, unsure if they were laughing at her or themselves.

* * *

Noda had bowed to each of his individual classmates, "ONEGAISHIMASU!" He had begged. The entire night, he ran all around the city, knocking on his classmates' doors. All he did was ask, normally he would have threatened them, but his sincere desperation was shown. Each of them, wishing to see Noda happy again, promised eventually to attend the tutoring sessions, no matter how much they detested studying.

The next morning, Shin had walked in, catching murmurs and worries about Noda and the boys' individual meetings with him the night before.

Like yesterday, Noda's desk was vacant. Shin had no doubts though. He was sure that Noda would show his face after school, he wouldn't have ran off the day before if he didn't care.

Shin was certain, which was why an hour before school ended, he left. To his friends, Uchi, Minami, and Kuma, his early departure was sudden and unexpected. Yes, Shin was good with English, but didn't he want to help them after school?

"Shin? You wants us to go with you?" Minami asked as Shin was already halfway up the backstairs. The three boys were ready, almost out of their seats, awaiting Shin's response.

"Don't." Shin uttered curtly, swiftly exiting the classroom.

His classmates resettled into their desks, still deciding whether or not to follow him. He been especially reserved that day at school, probably worried about Noda, they all concluded. If Shin didn't come clean soon about why he had been acting particularly strange lately, they would beat it out of him.

* * *

Precisely after school, Davina waited for Shin by the newly constructed gates of the American School in Japan, or ASIJ. The story about the gates, as Davina heard, was for extra security after September 11th 2001. A few months later, the gates arrived, then came Davina.

Students were flowing out from the gates towards local shops and the train station. The school did their best shoo everyone away after school and club activities to discourage students from staying late to go clubbing in Roppongi.

"Why are you carrying two bags?" Jayla and Mira had inquired incessantly throughout the day as though expecting a different, truer answer if they kept asking.

"I bought new Pointe shoes before school started." Davina had answered, unzipping her dance bag to show them the two boxes.

"French and Russian," Jayla had nodded her head in approval. "I personally find Russian shoes just _too _hard, even broken in."

Victoria, with perfect timing, had whisked by, looking at the shoes then sneering at Davina. "She can buy them but can she dance with them?!" She had said, too loudly to be inconspicuous. Davina put away her shoes.

Standing outside the high school, Davina was lightweight again, carrying one bag as she had stuffed her schoolbag into her locker after her last class. She had stowed away any materials she needed for homework into her dance bag. She waited for Shin, pondering if she needed to bring along anything for the English tutor—

She felt a tap on her shoulder and unconsciously turned her head. A finger poked her cheek.

"Baka," muttered Shin's deep timbre voice.

Shin took a quick look at Davina and regretted not telling her to dress more casually. He hadn't considered that maybe ASIJ didn't require uniforms. Perhaps 'nice' was casual for her, but how was she supposed to teach a classroom full of girl-hungry boys if they were constantly hitting on her because she looked nice? Of course, her clothes wouldn't matter if her red hair immediately did them in. Her pencil straight hair was tied back, high on her head, leaving her fringe and shorter strands along her face, framing her eyes. She wore a long brown vest over a turtle-neck, mid-thigh length black dress with a matching brown waist belt, black tights, and brown boots.

Technically, since she wasn't showing much skin, she'd be fine. Shin knew his classmates were attracted to cutesy girls so maybe Davina would come off, because of her straight composure, too serious for their attention? Shin took another look at Davina. Even though he wasn't interested, he could admit that she was pretty. He thought about 3-D's rough-housing tendencies and was curious as to how she would react. The poor girl didn't have a chance.

_Why is he staring at me strangely?_ Davina thought to herself, trying to meet his glance to see what he was examining. Her clothes? Did she stain them? What was wrong with them?

"Are we going?" Davina asked, deliberately poking his cheek. "Huh, Baka?"

Shin cocked an eyebrow at her. Davina smiled mirthfully at him, which reminded Shin of her trusting face when she declared to him that she was no longer scared, noting how its intensity matched to that of her smile. His worries about introducing her to his class were gone instantly. They could stare all they want, but they would have to also learn English. Otherwise, how could they ask her out?

* * *

Shin brought Davina to the back corner of the school, the suspense building in her gut. Why was this classroom tucked so far away? Finally, down a short stack of stairs, Davina saw the "3-D" sign that hung ominously over the door. His ring clicked as he grabbed the nob, but before he turned it he warned Davina, "this is a treat for them so they will probably be a little excited at first."

Before Davina could even process his cautionary statement, Shin opened the door wide enough for her to step through first. Loud conversation leaked from the other side, making Davina a little intimidated, but by taking tiny steps, she entered the classroom with Shin behind her.

Davina first saw to her left the vividly colored chalkboard, decorated with cartoons and pink kanji. Her neck panned slowly to the right, absorbing the busy scenery full of teenage boys. Toys, scooters, bright chalkboard, and rowdy boys, Davina wondered if she were in a kindergarten class. The boys quickly noticed the foreign girl placidly standing at their door.

If she had felt intimidated before, nothing could explain the awkwardness that consumed her and the loud classroom when they froze their positions and dropped their conversations, infectiously growing mute. Their jaws gaped one by one and their eyes grew wide, showing their whites as they looked at Davina, then in unison to Shin.

Davina also turned back to Shin, biting her lip. Was this dead silence what he meant by excited? She gazed upon each of the students, taking note of their differing aspects. They seemed like the rowdy type, so different from introverted Shin. Hair in funky styles, dyed different colors, many weren't even wearing the uniforms, while many of them wore graphic shirts under their blazers.

Shin said to Davina, "just sit tight, Yankumi will be here soon. She's a little late." Shin let the door shut behind him, then strolled to his desk, ignoring the questioning stares at him from his classmates.

"Shin...?" Davina's nervous voice squeaked. Her hand squeezed her bag strap securely, as though for her dear life.

He slumped in his seat. "They won't eat you alive." Shin said in English to her, winning even more surprise from the class. Davina gave him a small trusting smile, leaving Shin satisfied that she wasn't going to escape from the classroom, screaming. So far so good.

Uchi, Minami, and Kuma showed off their similarly baffled faces to each other for reassurance. Then all three curved to Shin, pondering the same thing as the whole class. She had called him, "Shin," and whatever he had said seemed to put her at ease. How did he know her? And if they were on a first-name basis, why hadn't he mentioned her before?

Uchi tapped on Shin's desk, pointing a finger at Davina. "Hey, did you kidnap her or something?"

Shin shook his bangs from his brows to glare at Uchi. "What the hell? No." Why were his friends so quick to make such horrible conclusions?

"Where did you find her?" Minami rotated his desk, arms covering the back of his chair, occasionally peeking over his shoulder at Davina.

"Is she going to teach English?" Kuma asked, still holding his English text book in the air, opened to the page he had been studying.

Shin moved his hands from his chin. "She's offering her help with the tutoring. English isn't Yankumi's subject. I figured she would be handy."

The classroom's gaze fell back on Davina by the chalkboard. She pulled an idle chair, the legs sliding piercingly against the floor tiles, and sat next to Yankumi's designated post. She nonchalantly took a paper pad from her bag and began jotting down notes, cool and confident as though she were alone in the classroom. Shin scanned the classroom, amazed by how many of his fellow classmates actually bought her confident act. He remembered Davina as the timid girl who ducked her head because strangers were gawking at her features. If Shin didn't know any better, she probably would have fooled him too.

"How do you know her?" Minami nudged Shin, fingers brushing through the pages of his English book.

"We've met before." Shin answered.

"Ehh?!" The three boys whooped. They pouted at Shin, why had the bastard kept her secret?

Uchi slapped his shoulder. "Idiot! You didn't tell us you had a girlfriend!"

"She's not—" Shin attempted, but his three friends continued to bombard him with their accusations.

"You should have told us!"

"Especially about a pretty girl like that!"

"Bastard!"

"Are you two friends?" Kuma asked quietly.

Shin blinked at his friend, stumped. Are we? Shin dwelt on Kuma's question. Before he could come up with a response, Yankumi entered the classroom, weighed down by a tall stack of books, wearing an tired-eyed expression of defeat. She nearly dropped her books when she saw almost every desk full with a person, ready to study.

Davina looked to her right at Yankumi, note pad in hand. So this was her... Pigtails, gym wear, young, and pretty cute for a teacher, but maybe a little dorky?

"Hurry up and start the lesson!" Someone chimed.

Yankumi was heartbroken. She had doubted her homeroom and then they went and did something like this... "You guys...all of you came."

"For the sake of one of our own, we would do anything."

"It's duty and compassion."

"It can't hurt to study sometimes."

"It can't be helped. He even got on his knees and begged." Added another classmate sitting towards the back of the classroom.

"Who begged on his knees?" Yankumi uttered softly. She looked to Noda's desk, which was still empty.

"Who do you think?" Shin said, not meeting Yankumi's gaze.

Everyone in the classroom watched the door and as if cued, Noda, a little embarrassed, leaned against the door. Davina wrote in her notes, 'Noda-stylish young man, scarf wearing, ears pierced, short and light brown hair.'

Davina looked to Shin, seeing his smile directed toward the door. Their eyes meet for a moment. They both experienced another wave of clarity. Is that him? Is this all for his sake? Davina's vision darted at Noda then back at Shin.

Shin blinked and gave a slight nod. That's him.

Yankumi's eyes grew wide. "Noda!"

The young man at the door, finally lifted his head, and slowly stepped to Yankumi, his eyes still facing the ground. "I'm sorry."

Yankumi glowed warmly as she smiled from ear to ear. She took several breaths, so close to crying. Suddenly her grip on her study materials loosened and they scattered to the floor. She ruffled his hair playfully, "alright! Alright!"

Noda bashfully tried to shake away from her hand but couldn't stop grinning. Hand in pocket, he returned to this desk to the clapping of his classmates. Shin was smiling, relieved for his friend's return; Davina couldn't help but let a curve sweep across her lips.

"Everybody, let's start the lesson." Yankumi shouted, her expression of defeat completely gone, replaced by inspiration. "We'll work hard." She lifted an arm passionately into the air. "OH!"

When no one in class followed her cheer,"let's all do it, OH!"

This was enough to gather soft arm waves but no cheers. Yankumi huffed, "that's too soft! OH!"

"Oh..." The entire class this time gave another attempt, still too soft. Davina even raised an arm and uttered her soft"oh." Was this a teacher or a cheerleader? Was she really serious?

"ONE MORE TIME! OH!" Yankumi waved her arm hard, oozing with so much excitement that even Davina was inspired. "OH!" the class roared, shaking both arms into the air, jumping from their desks.

Davina clapped her hands but reacted to the mess of books on the floor by picking them up. When the cheering calmed was when Yankumi _finally_ noticed Davina. Why is there a red-headed foreigner in my classroom...? Yankumi thought.

"_Who are you?_" Yankumi asked the young lady who didn't face at her at first. Davina gathered the books and papers into her chair and opened a few of the books. After flipping through a few of the pages, Davina created two different stacks of books, occasionally murmuring to herself in approval or shaking her head and muttering "no, this won't work."

Eventually Davina smiled politely at Yankumi and bowed her head. "Summons, Davina desu." _I am Davina Summons._

Yankumi's mouth hung open, mouthing 'oh...' "Da-bi-na, Sa-min-su."

Davina simpered. B or V, Davina couldn't bother to even to bother with the difference anymore.

"_But...who are you?_" Yankumi asked again.

Meanwhile, Shin had stood and walked to the front of the class. The rest of the classmates had fallen under another wave of silence. "Davina came with me. She's fluent in English, you could use the help."

"These books here," Davina set her hands on top of a stack of books, speaking in Japanese to Yankumi, "are British-English based. I can't remember which one was taught in Japan—"

"American-English." Shin interrupted, taking one of the books and filing through it to confirm Davina's assertion.

"Right." Davina held the other stack. "Then these are American English, which is what you want to study from."

"There's a difference...?" Yankumi whispered to herself as Davina placed the British-English books aside.

"Not many, but notable ones like spelling, regular vocabulary, slang, pronunciation, Ah versus AHH." Davina demonstrated.

"Ah," voiced Yankumi. Davina smiled with tight lips to keep herself from laughing.

"The alphabet is still the same." Shin said, referring to the tutoring session the day before.

Davina took the Day-2 study work sheets and gave them a quick glance. Taking Yankumi's pen, she scribbled some corrections and showed them to Yankumi.

Yankumi had done her best when she prepared the study-sheet, but she was glad for Davina's corrections. She didn't want for her mistakes to risk the midterm exam grades.

The study-sheets were passed out and Davina went to the chalkboard to draw straight lines and the alphabet. Yankumi went over the mass corrections with the class. When Davina was done with the chalkboard and Yankumi finished giving the corrections, Davina handed Yankumi the chalk. "Dozo sensei." _It's yours from here, teacher._

Yankumi nodded her head. "Arigatou, Dabina-chan." She smiled warmly at Davina, causing Davina to smile back.

Davina sat back in her chair and followed along while Yankumi went over the alphabet, hand forming the letter-shape in the air. So this was her...Yankumi... Davina had been in the classroom for less than fifteen minutes and she was already overcome with such emotion. She might be dorky but she was also lovely, Davina thought. Davina looked over at Shin, who was obviously bored, staring off to the side, tapping his fingers.

"Shi!"

"_Si!_" Davina corrected Yankumi as the class formed the letter 'C' in the air.

"Shi?" Yankumi tried again, no different from her first pronunciation.

Davina shrugged her mistake. "Nothing."

"Let her do it!" A random student piped up.

Yankumi stopped mid-letter, the chalk mark quibbled as she turned. "Huh?"

"Let's hear the girl say the alphabet!" Another student shouted.

"Me?" Davina put down her notes and stood awkwardly, waiting for Yankumi's approval but she handed Davina the chalk. Davina sighed and began writing the letters on the board.

"A... B... C..." Davina annunciated loudly, writing the corresponding lower case and upper case letter.

Peering away from the side of the classroom, Shin saw his classmates grin absentmindedly, the same exact lustful expressions that they wore when Fujiyama was teaching. He had seen his classmates hit on pretty girls like Davina with undying eagerness. However, probably because of the language barrier, they weren't sure what to do with her. Fujiyama was unattainable because of age, Davina was unattainable because of language... Shin did another overlook at his drooling classmates..._psh_, like that would stop them from trying.

Noda sat a couple of desks ahead of Shin, paying attention with more dedication and focus than Shin had ever seen. Regardless of the circumstances, Noda was trying for Fujiyama, or Shizuka as he called her. Watching Davina chanting the second half of the alphabet, seeing the classroom motioning in the air, and fixed vision on the back of Noda's head, Shin found himself applauding Noda for his determination to fight the odds for Fujiyama. Originally, his feelings for her were shrugged off as a simple high school crush yet every desk in the classroom was full thanks to him and the true extent of his love for Shizuka. Shin would always respect him for that.

* * *

"..and Z!" Davina projected then swiveled around to see the entire roster of the class, with Shin as the only exception, had scooted their desks closer to the board. Or had her eyes mistaken her? No...because there wasn't such a gap between Shin's desk and the rest of his classmates' desks before. Their goofy dreamlike smiles confirmed her suspicions. So _this _is what Shin meant by excited. Noda though seemed focused at least.

Davina set the chalk down with a loud _pang! _when she realized that she had been standing and staring awkwardly. She clapped her white powder from her fingers then tucked a loose strand of hair to her ear.

"Next, sensei?" Davina directed to Yankumi who had been squinting at her homeroom. Boys! Couldn't they think of anything else but girls?! Poor girl, Yankumi wondered if Shin had found her on the street...but she seemed to be having a good time.

"Sensei?" Davina asked again.

"Huh? Oh...arigatou Dabina." Yankumi smiled at Davina. "Next is grammar!" Yankumi announced loudly, over the groans from her students. Yankumi ignored their whining and went to the board and wrote "S-V-O," and "S-O-V." She then produced their Japanese equivalents.

"Japanese sentence structure follows the order of Subject-Object-Verb. _Kanajo wa kaban wo arimasu._" She underlined and labeled the specific parts of the sentence. "English, meanwhile follows Subject-Verb-Object order." She went to translate the example then paused. Eventually she turned around to Davina and motioned for her to take over. "English please?"

Davina nodded her head then wrote under Yankumi's writing, "She a bag has." Next to the S-V-O, she added, "She has a bag." She turned and smiled to the class; Shin quickly examined his classmates faces as all of them, except Noda, gleamed red and grinned like idiots. He retracted his earlier assumption. It wasn't her clothes or even her hair, but her smile that did them in. It was only a matter of time before—

"Da-BI-na!" A classmate hollered, waving an arm in the air, waiting until Davina turned to him to listen.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" He asked her with an eager face, smoothing out his hair with his hands.

Davina's mouth slid open. She bit her lip at her feet, too bashful to met their hopeful faces. He had said "boyfriend" as "bo-i-fu-ren-do" so she understood. The question had caught her _completely _off guard. Eventually, she sighed and with a flirty smile, she let her hands sway at her sides. "Nope, I'm single."

"Shin, why did you tell us that you two were dating?!" Uchi hotly chided at Shin who was drowsily watching this all unfold, internally amused.

"Huh?" _What? I never said—_

"Ehh, Uchi, what about _Bambi-_chan!" Minami's neck twitched from left to right as he uttered "Bam-bi-chan."

"You can have her!" Uchi slapped Minami's shoulder, evoking Minami to grab Uchi's shirt, causing them to stare each other down with threatening but ridiculous glares.

"Do you date? Would you like to go out on a date?!" Boys were practically screaming their offers at Davina, making her unconsciously step back. Yankumi grew worried for the girl, thinking she would think the worst of their flirting.

"Be quiet, please!" Yankumi modestly tried to shout over their excited yelling. "Quiet, please!" Yankumi grew frustrated. "BE QUIET PLEASE!" It didn't phase them. Davina's watched Yankumi intently, noticing her sweetness and patience dwindling...

Idiots, Yankumi thought to herself. Tired of not being heard, she ripped her glasses from her face. "STOP IT!" The class silenced immediately. Even Davina was scared by the fire that burned in Yankumi's eyes. Davina could only somewhat understand what Yankumi was spouting to her students.

"So you boys think you're gonna pick up girls by fighting over them like a piece of meat?! This nice girl came here to teach you English and you haven't taken her seriously! How the hell are you gonna get good grades on the English mid term?! How can you justify your behavior?!"

…?

Did this happen...often? Davina asked herself, thankful that everyone else was as confused as she was. The teacher's eye-squinted-tight-lipped look of death disappeared suddenly as Yankumi 'rephrased' her words, embarrassed as though she were caught in her underwear. "We shou...should be thankful for our foreigner friend. Ne?" She ruffled one of her student's hair, playing off as sweet.

"So...you..._boys_...piece of meat...how the hell...?" Davina had no idea what she was repeating, trying to translate Yankumi's words while Yankumi's shouts were still fresh in her memory. Yankumi's body stiffened then she closed her hand over Davina's mouth.

"You're not supposed to learn Japanese right now, we're learning English...ne?" Yankumi's nervousness was visible through her forced smile. _Please! Do NOT repeat what you have heard here,_ Yankumi begged internally.

Shin's thumb glided along his curved bottom lip, obviously entertained.

"It's settled then!" Minami stood from his desk and crossed his arms and stuck out his chin out proudly for finding the solution. "Who ever gets the highest the score on the English midterm will win a date with Davina! Operation: Win Davina's heart with English, begin!" He thrust an arm up, exciting his classmates who also shot up their fists in mutual agreement.

Yankumi sighed. These boys never learn... She looked to Davina who was trying to piece what Minami had said together. From the expression on her face, Yankumi could bet that the poor girl hadn't understood how the boys were executing a game to win her affections.

"So let's begin reading! Ne, Davina-chan." Yankumi chimed brightly, grabbing her study book and flipping it open as though the last ten minutes hadn't occurred.

Davina and Yankumi read an English short story about colorful caterpillar who ate a lot of fruit and turned into a beautiful butterfly. Yankumi never lifted her attention from the book, trying to mentally prepare her readings for when Davina finished reading hers out loud. Davina would occasionally glimpse over the book only to find more and more students dosing off into slumber. On the last page, Davina had already put her book down, counting how many were asleep, while Yankumi was cheerily reading, but mispronouncing, the last few sentences.

"The End-o!" She shut the book and set it into her lap. Her expression changed when she looked about her class and found most of them snoring. Taking a stack of papers, she went to their desks and beat them over the heads. "Wake up!"

Shin didn't budge when she smacked him with the papers so she shook him by the arms. "Sawada! Wake up!" He didn't move, still fast asleep. Davina was admittedly impressed. He was either a heavy sleeper or just didn't sleep enough at night. She wished to could take a nap too.

Davina leaned against the desk and caught eye of her bag, feeling the urgency of her day nag within. That's right...her shoes... She didn't want to just whip out her ballet shoes and start the loud process of breaking them in, but she decided that she could at least sew on the ribbons and the elastic. She could break them in on the way to ballet.

Yankumi was now referring to the story in the text book, asking for participation from her class on identifying different parts of the sentences. Davina kept her book open and followed along, but she had quietly taken out one pair of Pointe shoes, needle and thread, elastic, and ribbon.

Seeing the pink satin shoes in her lap gave the sleepy eyed Shin a flashback of handing Davina her Pointe shoes by the ocean. He watched her fold in the back of her shoes and set two fingers at the correct spot. She took a piece of ribbon and began sewing on them towards the middle of her slippers.

The boys throughout the room were also paying interest in the shoes. Ballet huh? Dancing on the tips of her toes; they all imagined the voluminous tutus and the fragile dancers who would wear them. It was something that couldn't be explained, but the soft grace that was associated with ballerinas made the boys even more curious about Davina. In the class and in their lives, it was the survival of the fittest. Yet, if they ever were to fall in love, could they ever cradle those delicate creatures with the softness they needed to be nourished with?

Davina was too frangible for him and his hands, Shin thought, turning his attention to Yankumi's chalkboard notes. Yankumi repeatedly told those who were doubtful that her 3-D class had their hearts in the right place, but that still didn't mean that Shin wouldn't shatter Davina like glass. He had already pushed her to tears once when his "heart was in the right place." Davina's trusting smile earlier was sincere, but he wondered how long her sincerity would last? Until the English midterm?

He suddenly remembered Kuma's question. "_Are you two friends?"_

The chalk on the board scrapped loudly along with Yankumi's explanation. Davina would quickly read Yankumi's work than thread on her ribbons and elastic bands with speedy muscle memory. Shin had in fact noticed Davina's slightly hesitant tone when he informed her about the tutoring over the phone by the Minato station. The girl was probably too busy and didn't care enough to keep up with people like him. Depending on her parents strictness and protectiveness over their daughter, they might not approve of such a friendship. _Trash_ like him and his friends would corrupt their sweet little daughter. Nice girls like her should hang out with nice girls and date nice guys.

To answer Kuma's question, no, they were not friends. Or at least they would act like it until their resources were all consumed on both ends.

Davina cut the thread and gently tugged on the ribbons to assess their security and support. She caught Shin's unwavering stare and genuinely smiled at his bored face. Switching her shoes, she cut more ribbon and thread and measured where to sew them.

Regardless, Shin thought, no matter when she personally decided she was through with him, he would at least be there to protect her. Every inch of him was certain that she would always at least let him have that.

* * *

You know what to do, read and review. But if you reading this all you need to do now is review!


	5. Chapter 5: Stolen Hat

*****Heaves a huge sigh* So I type up over half the chapter and a full length story plot line, only to lose it all in a hard drive crash. I was a little bummed to rewrite everything, but I am convinced that this rewrite is better than the original. Thank you everyone for all of your patience and I hope it was worth it. Also, thank you for reviewing. I appreciate all of your wonderful feedback and the time taken to review.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Five

* * *

It was nearing six in the evening when Yankumi finally dismissed the 3-D class for the day. Her students all took in a simultaneous breath of air and erupted into a cacophony of conversation. The teacher sighed a huge breath of exhaustion heard only by her own ears. Pulling in overtime for her already tiring class would make her sleep like a baby tonight, she thought as she rubbed her eyelids and temples. Somehow, she would have to muster enough brain power to conjure up another study review the tutoring session tomorrow, in addition to preparing her own midterms and study material for her _own _exam. Yawning, she knew the task ahead of her wouldn't be finished easily.

To her right, sitting back straight in a chair, was the little redheaded teenage girl who Sawada apparently brought with him to help with English. Though, Dabina was it(?) had introduced many insightful readings and answers, her presence cost Yankumi a lot of time and energy, most of which had been spent on shooing off the boys' advances and flirtations. She wished she could have used the wasted time more productively.

Yankumi collected her books into her sack while noticing Davina scribble fast notes onto her little pad. The girl had been consistent in writing notes through out the tutoring session. Yankumi put her papers into her already back-breaking bag. She had asked herself through the lesson what Davina had been furiously scribbling about-

"Sensei?" Called a soft voice in front.

Only one young person ever called her _teacher. _Yankumi set a stack of papers down and lifted her head at the shy Davina_. _

The two women stared at each other with mutual expressions of worn and understanding that despite their exhaustion, their day needed to continue on.

Davina tore two sheets from her notepad and handed them folded in half to Yankumi. "I hope you find these useful." She uttered timidly, biting her bottom lip.

After unfolding the paper halves, Yankumi scanned the notes and found a class list with the entire roster's names and next to them were English comments that she supposed were translated into Japanese. Written in rudimentary Japanese were their individual strengths and weaknesses. Everyone had several helpful comments, except, of course, for Sawada. Next to his name were three Japanese characters. Dai-jou-bu. _He's alright. _

Yankumi placed her hand with the notes still curled in her fingers down to see Davina duck her head due to nerves. Yankumi was now more curious than ever about how Sawada met Davina and more importantly, how they communicated. "Arigatou, Dabina-chan." Yankumi thanked her, inspiring Davina to smile back, slightly calmed from her shyness as she let her tense shoulders relax.

The teacher smiled in response, officially charmed by the girl. She let Davina return to putting away her things but watched in bitter annoyance as her class exited the room slowly in a single file line, grinning foolishly to themselves, making sure to get at least a few seconds of eye contact with Davina's green set. Their conversations would each take an abrupt three second pause, just so the speaker could partake in his time to eye-gaze with Davina.

Yankumi eventually tiredly shrugged, recalling her shouting lecture about respecting women but apparently her words hadn't sunk into their caveman skulls. As for their eye-gazing-mating-rituals, she figured they could be doing _so _much worse... She unconsciously flinched and panned her neck to the corner to mumble to herself, "I don't even want to imagine how much worse."

She was glad that Davina acknowledged each boy that passed by. The girl was thankfully amused by their antics, instead of being offended or worse, frightened away. Yankumi had been worried when she first realized that a teenage girl was in her classroom but she had survived an entire tutoring session with 3-D. A time period that beat the rest of the school's faculty by a long shot. Yankumi smirked to herself and crossed her arms in thought; if only Davina could comprehend what an accomplishment that had been.

Davina had been slow in packing her bag on purpose. Checking his desk often, she wanted to see what Shin was planning to do. Was he going to leave her now in the classroom and go home? Or would he at least walk her to the station? She was kind of hoping that...

"Aren't you coming?" Muttered Shin's voice from across the room.

Her dance bag zipper tightened with a rattling **zziiiiip **then Davina noticed, in surprise that Shin had changed from dosing off at his desk to leaning by the backdoor exit, as conscious, casual, and bored as can be. This boy is too fast for me, Davina thought humorously to herself.

Davina crossed by Shin's friends. In her notes, she had identified them as the "blondie, copper-head, scarf-boy, and bear." The four of them eyed her swiftly as she passed their desks. She climbed the stairs and met Shin's droopy eyes with hers. He swung the door open and they exited together.

* * *

"Are they coming too?" Davina asked Shin, nudging him to look over his shoulder. Following close behind were Uchi, Minami, Kuma, Noda and Yankumi. Shin simply shrugged his shoulders.

Was it normal for Shin and his friends to have their teacher join them? Davina pondered to herself.

As they headed towards the gate, Davina felt the attention of the surrounding groups of students centering on her, Shin, and Shin's friends. It was hours after the final bell of the school day so everyone still hanging around were familiar faces from Yankumi's tutoring session. However, their friendly expressions that they had used in the classroom were now mixed with curious caution. Were their cautious faces fixed on Shin?

Davina peered up at Shin, walking only a foot away from him. Shin was definitely different from the rest of his class, even his close friends. That had been fairly obvious, even if she had been with them all for barely two hours. When Davina first met Shin in Minato, she figured his quietness was specific to strangers but his reserved behavior was routinely normal for him. Everyone in 3-D seemed to silently respect Shin by providing him his space. She continued to wonder about Shin, many things, his school, his outlook by his classmates, his personality, didn't seem to fit about him. As far as Davina was concerned, respect had to be rightfully and sometimes harshly earned. What did that mean about Shin?

"_What is it?_" Shin muttered over Davina's ear. Davina took in a deep breath, and ran her hands through her hair. When had a couple of feet in distance turn into a mere few inches of space?

She tried to find the words but they were spilling from the tip of her tongue. "It's just...3-D and you."

Shin tilted his head up in the direction of Davina's attentive stare. His classmates looked back at him. "They're just confused."

The classmates she had been watching earlier all at that specific moment relaxed and returned to their vivacious conversations as though they hadn't been staring at Shin and her. "Confused about...what?" Davina asked.

"As to why you and I are associated with each other." He answered quickly with a sigh.

Davina occupied herself with smoothing out her dress so she wouldn't met Shin's eye-brow cocked glance. Why did it need to be culturally considered as weird for her to be on social terms with a Japanese boy?! Would 3-D treat her any differently if she were black-haired, brown-eyed, and Japanese?

Her eyes betrayed her and Shin and Davina managed catch each others eyes for a brief moment until Yankumi, Uchi, Minami, and Kuma were immersed into their group.

"Associated with who?" Minami piped in next to them.

Neither Davina nor Shin answered his innocent question. Davina said, instead, "my ballet class starts at seven and if I don't eat now I won't get a chance to until after later tonight. Anybody else hungry?"

Kuma rubbed his belly and nodded to Davina. "What does Dabina-chan crave?"

To be honest, Davina would have killed for some greasy American food but she knew of a noodle restaurant near her ballet studio that would be far more convenient concerning the circumstances. "How about some noodle bowls?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Yankumi chimed in, doing one of her many assuring hand gestures.

"Why are you with us?" Uchi glared at Yankumi harshly, bumming down her happy stance.

Yankumi dropped her arms to her side, losing some of her excitement but gained more of a professional composure. "While Dabina-chan is with us, English tutoring continues. Ne?"

The boys rolled their eyes at their teacher, all outwardly tired of studying English for the day.

Davina saw the large school name plastered on the banner. Her ability to read kanji was still weak but she was able to gather 'shiroi,' which meant white. So was it 'shiroi...,' no, it didn't have an 'i' after 'shiro' so it meant that the school had to have been named 'Shirokin.'

"Sensei?" Davina motioned for Yankumi's attention. She pointed to the large characters above them. "Shirokin?" She said, placing too much emphasis on the 'o.'

Yankumi nodded and smiled. "Correct, Dabina-chan."

Uchi, Minami, Noda, and Kuma all smirked at each other. That was most likely the first instance any of them had heard a teenage girl utter their school name without visible disgust. Perhaps, they all silently agreed with each other, that they would simply not mention to Davina the truer reputation of their school and allow her to stay ignorant about such details.

Noda still had his nose in his green English textbook and was studying his pronunciation as the group headed down to the train station. Davina was absentmindedly listening to the conversation generated by Uchi, Minami, Yankumi and Kuma. They were speaking too fast and too informalyl for her to keep up, except for a few short phrases here and there.

In her own Japanese class, the instructors spent more time on formal speech versus street talk for the reason that they "would pick it up from the streets." If they didn't _need_ speak with anyone informally then they wouldn't need to learn informal speech. Especially since a few Americans at her high school would continue on at Japanese university, more formal and business Japanese was more important. Or so the teachers told Davina and her class.

The approach was different from her previous experiences, but Davina didn't argue. In other schools she had attended, and she wished ASIJ also followed this curriculum, the language teachers placed equal amount of importance in all formalities of speech. They taught the students cultural associations, such how 'light blue' could mean 'gay,' as well as insults. One of her teachers notoriously said one day when one of her more sensitive students asked about her methods, "I simply teach to how to speak like the natives. And the natives use formal speech in formal environments, and street talk on the streets. If they didn't curse, I wouldn't teach you that."

"Excuse me? Dabina-chan?" Noda was suddenly next to Davina, holding his book open for her to examine. "Here, please." He pointed his finger next to an example problem listed under a pronunciation chart.

Davina took the book from him and read it out loud to herself, trying to walk and read at the same time. The question was asking for the reader to pick which of the options matched the vowel sound of the word. The word in question was 'Apple' and the two option words were 'hat' and 'saw.'

She read the problem and the options again then looked up at the anxious Noda. Hmmm...she thought the problem was a bit difficult...she was a native English speaker for goodness sake! She muttered the words to herself, trying over emphasis the vowels. "Aaaapple...haaaat...saaaaw."

Behind her, Yankumi, Kuma, Uchi, and Minami were following her example and also practicing along with her. Shin slightly tilted and glanced at them projecting obnoxious vowel sounds then shuddered away because they were being so _dorky_. He scuffled to himself, his lips curving into a half smile.

Davina stopped walking suddenly then spun around to declare her answer, causing everyone creeping close behind to stumble back like a wave. "The difference is in your throat." She tapped her neck in case they hadn't understood her. "Haaaaat is throaty and saaaw is voiced. Apple is also throaty so hat is the correct choice."

"Ah," all said as though they thought 'hat' to be the obvious answer as well. Davina licked her lips to force back a laugh then handed the textbook back to Noda.

Noda nodded in quiet thanks to Davina upon receiving his book then continued his studying to himself.

Davina remembered as he walked ahead of her what Shin had mentioned when he originally asked her to help tutor. "It's not for me, for a friend." Also with the way Yankumi had tussled his hair and grew ecstatic for his late entry into class, Davina decided that the person Shin wanted to help was Noda. With how determined he seemed to study, Davina had absolutely no doubts. All of this studying was for Noda.

As they all neared the train station, Davina checked the time. She sighed to herself. She would have to leave them early but she had enough time to catch a train to Shinjuku and order some food.

By the train station square, Davina heard a familiar language, causing her to intake a sharp breath. Russian, was it? No one else seemed to notice in her group but she stopped again in her tracks and absorbed the scene.

A group of Caucasians were standing in front of the train ticket sensors, waiting for their female friend who was trying, but failing to communicate with the ticket salesman. Judging by the woman's tense face and the ticket salesman's holding of a calculator to the window, Davina felt that she could try and pat the dust off her Russian skills.

"Is there something wrong?" Davina asked loudly in Russian to catch the attention of the woman.

The tense woman seemed to slightly calm down, glad to listen to hear familiar words. "I lost my ticket but he won't understand."

Davina moved in front of the speech holes then projected in Japanese to the man inside the booth, "she lost her ticket."

The man nodded his head. "I understood that but she needs to pay." He showed Davina his calculator that flashed '130'.

She understood now. "He is being fair." Davina said in Russian to the woman. "He wants you to pay for the minimum ticket price of ¥130 and then he'll let you leave."

The woman's woman fell open, trying to decided whether or not to argue the charge or to leave it alone. She was visibly upset to have to pay another fare but she at least simpered at Davina and accepted the situation. She took out her wallet from her traveler's bag. "Thank you." She quickly muttered.

Davina simpered back then left the booth, ignoring the prying eyes of Russian group. As she walked around them, one of the taller males asked after her, "are you Russian?"

"No," Davina said simply and left it at that. She had paused momentarily as though she were going to say more but she continued walking when no more words came out.

Davina rejoined her group that waited for her by the station's front entrance. She was thankful that they hadn't left without her. "Pardon me for that."

All six of them stared at her curiously, waiting for someone else to break the ice and ask the one question that was burning in their heads.

"Dabina-chan," Yankumi began, her voice high pitched with interest. "Can you speak other languages?"

Davina expected their questions but she admittedly had been hoping she wouldn't have to deal with them. To draw attention away from herself though, she tried to steer the group into the train station so maybe someone could change the subject. She pulled out her wallet to tap her rail pass onto the sensor.

The reason she knew Russian wasn't for any reason that they were expecting. She didn't know the language because she was Russian, because she wasn't Russian. She didn't know it because she lived in Russia, because she had never been there before. She also wasn't prepared to explain the real reason because that would only sprout more questions that again, Davina wasn't prepared to answer. "I only really know English."

_Liar._

She was lying and judging by the expression that Shin was giving her, he could tell that she wasn't being truthful. Shin knew she was an army brat and if she wondered if anyone were to ask if he would provide them with that information.

"What was that then?" Uchi asked, making Davina feeling surrounded against.

"That was just helping." She gave a tight lipped smile and left it at that. She knew none of them were satisfied with her answer, but she didn't care to be brutally honest. She didn't want to appear phony but the long day had winded her and long, filling explanations were not part of her deal with Shin.

Minami, Uchi, Noda, and Kuma blinked at each other then in unison turned to Shin. How long had Shin known Davina? Because no matter how long how short they had known each other, Shin already seemed to rub off on her. And if Davina always had such reserved characteristics, it explained why Shin hung out with her in the first place.

Thankfully changing the subject, Yankumi checked her watch then gasped in horror. She yelled about needing to catch her bus, being late, see you tomorrow, then zipped down the road like lightning, trying to board the bus that was just teeing away from the designated bus stop.

"Gosh, she's weird." Minami shook his head. The boys groaned in agreement then strolled onto the train platform, not waiting to see if Yankumi made it onto her bus.

As the train roared and slowed to a stop in front of them, Davina reached into her dance bag and pulled out her hard Russian shoes. While the boys held onto the slings on the bars for support, Davina waited by the doors, a slipper in each hand. When the announcer called for everyone to step away from the shutting doors, Davina held out her shoes as the two heavy doors closed. There was a slight breaking session from the shoe's glue as the doors smashed against the toe box in her ballet shoes.

The doors reopened and the announcer repeated his command for everyone to back away from the doors again. Davina softly squeezed the now dirty box in each of her shoes. "That's good enough."

"What are you doing?" Shin was suddenly standing at her side then simply took a shoe from her hand. He examined the shoe from both ends. "It's dirty now."

Davina groaned and took her shoe back. "I was breaking them in, thank you very much."

"It's odd. You have to break your shoes before you can use them." Shin muttered slyly, holding the metal bar above as the train began to brake for a stop.

Davina pouted at Shin then unzipped her bag on her right hip to put her shoes away. "Well that is why I dance and you don't Shin." The train halted to an abrupt stop, causing Davina's bag to swing away from her hip. The bag's weight ruined her balance; her body stumbled forward, pulled by her bag. Her hands didn't listen and failed to grab onto any of the metal poles near her. Nothing could stop her from slamming wrists first into the train floor but an arm wrapped around her and a hand clamped to her waist, stopping her fall.

Davina took in a breath of air, she hadn't realized she had stopped breathing. Her incited heart only grew more thrilled when it registered in her mind exactly who had holding her by the waist. She hoped he couldn't see how red her cheeks were at that moment.

"Ballerinas should have more balance." Shin's deep voice uttered over Davina's ear, sending shivers through her body. The areas he had touched burned even after he had let go of her. Shin moved to the center of train, next to his sullen friends.

"Of course!" Minami quibbled. "Only Shin would know of the precise moment he can grab the waist of a pretty girl without getting slapped."

"Don't be dumb." Shin snapped.

"Only Shin gets such chances." Uchi added glumly stretching his arms.

Davina let her hair fall over her cheeks as she could not, for the life of her, stop blushing. Calm down, Davina, she soothed herself. He is _just _a boy. Her side still felt tingly the firmness from his arm and hand. She decided that she would allow herself to be a tiny bit flustered. No boy had ever held her like that. It immediately clicked that she was hanging out with an entire group of boys. Another thing she had never experienced. A wave of awkwardness fell over her, causing her discomfort to be standing so close to them.

The boys, though, hadn't seen Davina shy away and were still pestering Shin.

"I guess Shin isn't gay."

"I thought you weren't interested in girls."

"What are your tricks Shin? Where can we find one like her?"

"Was it nice? To hold a girl by the waist?"

"Go ahead and keep forgetting that Davina is standing a meter away." Shin finally said. "If you think that a girl hurting herself is a good excuse to grope her then you have other issues."

They didn't seem to get the message.

"I bet it was nice."

"Shin always thinks we're so serious about everything we say."

They nodded to each other, leaving Shin to officially zone out of the conversation. He slouched into his seat and the sun behind them created a shadow over his face.

Davina meanwhile was still trying to comprehend the rush of emotions that was coiling in her blood. The butterflies were swirling so fast in her stomach that she lost all appetite to eat. Her heart intensely pounded in her chest. She didn't dare look straight at Shin but from the corner of her eye, Shin was placidly resting. Davina finally glared at him, bitterly. How could he be so cool all the time? Was he not at all bothered by catching her before she fell? Did she also owe him for helping her again? She thought sardonically.

The train arrived at their stop in Shinjuku. Davina stuck close to the boys as they crowded around the doors to leave. Of course, Shin was huddled up close to Davina as he was the one in the group who was associated with her. Was that the reason why he remained close in distance to her? She inhaled a deep breath to relax her anxiety and stop her stupid girly analysis. She wasn't used to such agitation of feelings but the only way she knew how to control it was through repression. She had a crucial ballet audition to worry about. She would force herself to eat soon otherwise she would be weak at her ballet lesson.

Davina peered up at Shin as they climbed the stairs up the platform. His eyelids drooped tiredly, his posture was slouched, hands shoved in his pockets. Occasionally, he would yawn. Davina sighed and looked away. He really is indifferent, she thought, her heart sinking. Her presence didn't appear to have any compromising effect on him. She perhaps didn't mean much to Shin. Would his tolerance of her lasting only until the tutoring sessions ended? She'd be smart to not have any emotional investments in someone so apathetic.

It's better this way, she declared to herself as rays of sun warmed her skin. Shinjuku was alive with neon lights, traffic, and massive crowds. They all left the train crowds and stood at the cross walk, waiting for the pedestrian signal to cross.

Davina was content with keeping her internal butterflies repressed and silent. She had more important things to focus on and after the tutoring sessions, she would be able to fix her focus on her goals and dreams. Nothing was going to stand in her way.

* * *

Davina checked the clock every so often, trying to perfectly time to the second when she needed to leave the restaurant and run to the ballet studio.

Luckily, her appetite had returned so she ate her noodle bowl while the boys were edged close to the window, admiring the view.

"Ah! Those are girls from Momoyuri high school! Look Noda!" Kuma hollered, nudging his friend eagerly with an elbow.

Noda didn't bulge, he shook away from Kuma's touch, causing Kuma to make a face.

"Leave him be, he has Shizuka." Uchi slapped Kuma's shoulder.

"Uchi, any lady's man wouldn't waste his time with the options that are several stories away. He would focus what is only tables away." He waved a hand to a group of high school girls, wearing navy-blue and pale red uniforms, dining a few tables from theirs.

Salivating like Ivan Pavlov's dog, Davina laughed to herself as Uchi, Kuma, and Minami stared hungrily and embarrassingly at the teenage girls.

"I'm going." Uchi stood from the booth, smoothing out his hair. This was enough to spark motivation for Kuma and Minami to join Uchi in the persuit.

Minami yanked Noda's shirt before he could protest. "There are _four _girls. If only three of us go, it's weird." Noda groaned about leaving him alone and dragging Shin along instead.

"Shin has Dabina-chan. You're coming regardless!" Kuma, Uchi, Minami, and Noda all headed to the girls' table, trying to pull off being suave.

Shin watched them introduce themselves to the girls then turned away. "They'll hit on a girl then hit on more girl's in front of her. They'll still probably try to get your number tomorrow." He mumbled under his breath.

Davina leaned forward. "Huh?" She hadn't fully heard nor understood Shin's comment. He left her question unanswered and slurped more noodles into his mouth.

Davina keep her vision on her bowl but from what she could hear, the girls weren't buying their act and the boys were getting desperate. If they were to come back, she should tell them that girls, of any nationality, did not find desperation attractive.

A few minutes were remaining from Davina's set time to leave. She would need to pay and then leave. Staring at the four corners of the booth, something caught her attention. Why were there only three bowls of food for six people? Were some of the boys sharing a bowl?! The bowls were big, yes, but they were _boys _for goodness sake! Kuma was close to ordering seconds but he showed hesitance. Were they sharing because she had taken to them a slightly pricey restaurant in an expensive district? Davina looked done at her half finished bowl of food, suddenly too full for another bite.

The boys were returning now, whining about their bitter defeat, however reassuring themselves that _those _girls were too stuck up.

"Kuma?" Davina interrupted. "Do you want my meat?" She shoved her bowl to his side of the booth.

Kuma's shaky hands graced along on the bowl, his mind gone from just being rejected, his eyes wide with utter surprise. He was speechless.

"You have no idea of what you've done." Shin muttered.

Kuma actually _bowed _his head and formally thanked Davina as if it came from the bottom of his heart. "Arigatou gozaimashita."

Minami, Uchi, and Noda also shared Davina's jaw-dropping surprise. Kuma gleefully smiled and dipped his chopsticks into the bowl. He hummed as though he were enjoying music, he stared onto the distant wall with a glimmer in his eyes.

Uchi stretched his arms then ran a hand through his blond hair. "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

"I have never seen someone so happy to receive a half empty bowl of food." Davina whispered to herself, thumbing the wooden booth.

The time ticked on a wall ahead, blaring at Davina that she was several minutes late to be leaving the restaurant. She gasped hectically and practically jumped from her seat in the booth. "Excuse me!" She almost ripped open her bag, fishing for her wallet.. Pulling out the leather wallet, she filed out several bills from the fold and placed the wad of money in the center of the table. "I think that should cover everything. I'll see you all tomorrow!" She paused in her place again, biting her lip, almost about to say more but thanks to her language block, she eventually grunted in frustration then fled the restaurant by hopping and jogging down the escalators.

When the last strand of red hair disappeared down the floor, Shin took the pile of money from the table. He separated her meal portion, returned it to the table then pocketed the rest, intending on returning Davina her change. The rest of the boys didn't say anything, not having any doubts that Shin would probably see Davina later that day and return the money to her.

Shin had known when Davina offered her food to Kuma was when she realized that bowls of food in that particular restaurant was considered expensive to his friends. He hadn't looked in her direction once, but he knew when her guilt had set in after she counted the bowls. The boys weren't going to hold a grudge against Davina for trying to appease her guilt by paying for their meals, however, even for her sake, they would not, under any condition, accept pity.

"Was it just me," Uchi began, gathering the attention of his friends. "Or was I not imagining the flat-out stares we got because of— " He left his sentence unfinished but with a hand floating above his head he shaped out Davina's up-do in the air.

"No, her and me got the same gawks the last time we were out together." Shin rested his head on a fist balance on the table, referring to the ramen-ya he had taken her after her being attacked.

Silence hovered their booth, draining virtually all thrills and cheeriness, leaving their expressions to be thoughtful and absentminded.

"Hey, is that why you're gonna walk with her again later tonight, Shin?" Kuma asked unblinkingly at Shin with concern.

Shin hadn't told his friends that he had been walking her home since he had thought about her again, but friends had picked up on it. Perhaps with how he kept close to her and how he had noted every single gaping stare, no matter how innocent. Davina, on the other hand, hadn't seem to notice how much Shin had paid such close focus to their surroundings.

Without words, precisely the same thoughts and worries fluctuated throughout the table. They were all well aware that there were some real sickos out there who wouldn't be content with just noticing from afar. Shin still hadn't told any of them how he had met Davina, how his first sight of her was her cowering to herself with a dark hat covering her long red hair. All of which was to prevent the very thing they were all thinking and worried about. Kuma, Noda, Minami, and Uchi were also anxious for Shin and didn't want for him to get mixed up in something nasty, especially so far from their district where they could come to rescue. It didn't seem right if in an emergency they had to _take the train_ versus purely running on adrenalin to find their friend.

Shin was surrounded by four serious faces. He opened his mouth slightly, took in a breath of air, then said, "yes, I'll walk her home again."

* * *

Davina adjusted a stubborn lock of hair under her hat. Her body was dealing with a stirring rush of emotions from the lack of knowing whether or not Shin would walk her home again and the numbness of being so damn tired.

It had been a brilliant idea to eat, she couldn't even begin to conceive how she would feel on those stairs in Minato if she hadn't eaten. However, due to detour to eat, she changed at lighting speed and ran to her respective spot on the barre with just seconds to spare before Madame arrived. Her classmates were all silently criticizing her for showing up out of breath for two sessions in a row. Well, they can just suck it. Madame had distinguished her for progress in her leg extension, something Davina had yet to stop smirking about.

"Why the smile?" Uttered Shin's voice.

"Oh!" Davina turned to her right and saw Shin on the top stair. She had to give up. How was Shin _always _doing that?! She couldn't be that unobservant, surely...

"I did well in ballet today." Davina gave Shin a toothy smile. A quick flash in her memory of falling on the train and Shin's hand on her waist cracked her smile, forcing her to duck her head and pretend to be fixing her dress.

Oh, Davina, quit being dumb. Why couldn't she just let that incident go?

After the last three steps up, Shin walked away from the station in the usual road to the Hardy Barracks. As always, Shin's mind seemed busy so she expected little if any conversation.

On every walk Shin had had with Davina, he barely spoke with her. It made Davina question what satisfaction Shin got from strolling to the army base with her.

"I don't have ballet tomorrow." Davina spouted out randomly. The statement had been floating in her head for most of the day. She didn't have ballet in the studio on Wednesdays so he didn't want him to wait when she would never come.

Shin didn't verbally reply but judging by his sigh of breath, Davina decided he had at least heard her. It was like talking to a wall.

Davina sighed. "Look, Shin," She grabbed his arm to make him listen to her. "You don't have to watch everyone's stares as though their prying eyes are going to hurt us. I always wear my hat so it wouldn't be any different than the normal gaijin stare-down. You don't have to worry."

Shin stepped closer to her, causing Davina's already incited chest to pump and pound heartbeats in her ears. She was eye level with his shoulder; a scent came off him that smelled rather intoxicating to Davina. The butterflies were fluttering like mad in her stomach again. She wanted them to stop but her feet wouldn't step away from Shin.

His face was inches from hers, her eyes fixed on his lips. It didn't matter to Davina that they were in public, nothing around them mattered. She closed her eyes and waited for it. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hardly bare it.

After what seemed like an eternity, her hair was from released from her dark hat and her tresses fell upon her shoulders. Her eyes reopened just as Shin's hand fell back to his side, her hat clenched in his fingers.

"You're with me, you don't have to wear your hat to cover up your hair." His voice projected deeply and suddenly Davina could hear the surrounding crowds of people and traffic.

Her heart sunk, her head swimming in disappointment. She inhaled a deep breath and gulped, trying to ignore the embarrassment that punished her for her assumptions. "Thank you, Shin."

"Doushita?" Shin asked, seeing her discomfort. Did she feel exposed because he took her hat?

Davina flattened the frizzles in her hair, buying a few seconds to perfectly articulate her words. "Even with what has happened in the past, I feel fine with...someone to walk home with." She was going to say 'you' instead of 'someone,' but her gut twisted and swirled until she chose a more ambiguous word.

Shin had seen Davina bite her lip during her short pause. There was something she was holding back but he didn't want to probe about her reasons. Him and her weren't that close. Also, the weakness she had portrayed that she was disoriented and too tired to provide any insight. If it was important enough now, then he would have another chance to ask her in the future.

* * *

Davina staggered for the last mile with her military ID ready at hand. Normally she would have enjoyed Shin's quiet company but what she was feeling was just too weird. What she wouldn't give to run to the gates and say good bye to Shin, however, she still appreciated his insistence of walking with her. She concluded that the butterflies in her stomach would go away if she wasn't in such close proximity to Shin. By tomorrow, she would have had enough time to rethink and examine why her insides were so..._ugh. _

Shin stretched his arms and yawned for what seemed to be the billionth time that night. He was yawning so much he was making her yawn too. She felt bad for Shin though, she didn't know how far away he lived, but she hoped he didn't need to walk too far.

"Tsukaremashita," Davina had just barely managed to say before she yawned again. _I'm so tired._

His response was another yawn.

The gate was in sight and Davina wanted nothing more then to shower and sleep on her comfy bed. She was already close to falling asleep standing up even while her legs were numb, heavy blocks. "So, I'll see you tomorrow."

Just as she was turning to officially return home, Shin stopped her. "Wait. I need to give you this."

He lifted his hand from his pocket and unfolded his fingers to reveal a large wad of yen.

Davina faced him with an expression of confusion. "Huh...why are you giving me money?"

"I'm not giving it to you, I'm returning it." Shin said simply.

Worry seeped in and Davina froze. She understood now, Shin was holding the money she had originally used to pay for their dinners.

Her vision fixed on the money in his hand. "Why?" She whispered.

"You felt guilty after you counted the bowls. They walked in there knowing they wouldn't be able to afford a bowl for themselves but they went in there for you. Your attempt to appease that guilt came off as rude to them. They don't accept pity." Shin then straightened his arm, beckoning for Davina to take the money. Ducking her head, unable to met his gaze, she held out an empty hand. The money touched her palm and from under her eyelids, she saw Shin return his hand back into his pocket.

"See you." Shin turned and left her to walk up to the gate.

Davina lifted her head in time to catch a glimpse of his poker face. His one expression that never failed him. She squeezed the money in her hand unconsciously, too angry and sad to relax peacefully now. She didn't want to see him or any of 3-D tomorrow and evident by the money in her hand, their first impression of her was probably marred and ruined far beyond worth saving.

Shin brisked away, knowing of her stabbing stare into his back. He normally would have walked her to the gate, but he saw his chance to return the money and took it. He had perhaps been a little harsh with his words, but he had been one-hundred percent honest. Shin could tell by her composure that she was upset so he left her early to give her some space. He had essentially forced his way into her life, walking home with her, taking up her time after school, like Yankumi had done with him and the rest of 3-D when she first arrived. He remembered being dead set against Yankumi barging in and making herself a large part in his life. He fully expected Davina to be somewhat annoyed with him. Shin had to remind himself that his involvement in Davina's life would only be temporary and for Noda's and Fujiyama's sake.

When the Hardy Barracks was out of sight, Shin stopped and turned back. He fingered the shapeless black hat stuffed into his blazer pocket. He heavily considered going back and if she were still there, he would explain. However, it had already been a few minutes since he had left her. Davina was most likely already back in her respective place of stay and probably was too upset to come back and see him. Not that he could trust the guards always glaring at him to allow him to see her.

He decided it was only fair that he fully explain to Davina, when he saw her again tomorrow, precisely why he sought out for her help.

Shin squeezed the black hat. He wasn't planning on giving it back to her any time soon.

* * *

Phew! I definitely prefer the rewrite to the old draft. I know it took a while to post. It would have been sooner if not for my being sick, finals, relocating, hard drive crash, and lack of internet. *****Bitter* Again, thank you to all who reviewed, I was not expecting so many reviews but I appreciate each and every single one of them. Thank you for reading and please review this chapter.


	6. Chapter 6: Under an Umbrella

So, I'm trying to improve the quality of my writing by taking more time to compose my writing. This one the longest addition yet. I doubt there will be anymore shorter chapters like the first few. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Also, please be sure to read the author's note at the bottom.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Six

* * *

Regardless of how tired she was, Davina was so restless in her bed. A thunderstorm had formed unexpectedly to the south of the Kanto region and was circling through the city after about three in the morning. In addition to the dozens of aggressions that were boiling within her, occasionally bursts of thunder kept her tossing and turning.

More than a dozen times during that thunderous and sleepless night, regardless of the hour, Davina wanted to send Shin—that bastard—a phone message calling the whole deal off. She had definitely been more of a distraction at the tutoring session than a valuable asset. The class was putting more effort into trying to ask her out instead of learning English for their exam. Shin's English was good enough, he could have taken her place, she bet.

In midst of her restlessness, she unwillingly put crucial thought to her reoccurring uneasy stomach. She remembered with embarrassment the moments when the butterflies were fluttering painfully in her torso. The train, walking home.... The fact that Davina hadn't lost control over herself was soothing though.

She objectively pondered the origin of those stupid butterflies. She had experienced similar anxiety when she had performed in her very first ballet recital as a kid and for at least three of her show auditions. Something was much different from then and now, she had thought, rubbing her forehead. Even on those occasions, Davina knew her goal and knew perfectly well that she had the skills to succeed.

"_My stomach feels weird, Ma." Young Davina rubbed her belly and gulped to her mother._

_Davina had been dressed in her fluffy, soft pink costume. Her light red hair was tied back into a circular bun on her head. She had walked hand in hand with her mother, trying to match her mother's long strides._

_Her mother smiled sweetly down at her. "Those are called butterflies, Davina. It's normal to feel a little nervous, but just remind yourself that you know your steps and that you know what to do."_

Davina's arm flapped limply to her pillow above her head as another low rumble of thunder clapped outside. There were no routine steps to this dance and this time Davina didn't know what to do. Her nerves then as a kid were meager in comparison to the agony she was presently facing. She furiously fluffed her flat pillow to provide more support for her neck.

There was still one forgotten factor in this butterfly business: Shin. Davina punched her pillow then pressed her face hard into the cushion until her ears were covered. She eventually relaxed her stiff body and lifted her head and instead pressed her chin on the pillow and stared at the wooden back of her bed.

Why were her current butterflies associated with Shin? When she had first met him, he was a perfect stranger and except for the fact he had yelled at her, she had been in total comfort. Back then she trusted him, but now she needed to stay on guard and not because of him, but because of herself. If she got too sensitive her feelings would get hurt.

Davina's vision on the wooden back unfocused and she yawned. Her body was dead tired, yet her mind was wide awake and not willing to shut up. It was nearing the end of the school year for her so finals were inevitably approaching. Since she heard the news of the Tokyo audition for SAB, she was pushing harder during her ballet classes and having longer practices at home. Meanwhile, tutoring 3-D was unexpectedly dropped on her and adding to her workload.

_Stress _was the perfect explanation for the nausea in her stomach lately. Why hadn't she fully considered that before? Lack of sleep and a busier schedule could lead to a coming of illness and nausea was perhaps one of the many symptoms she would soon be experiencing. And to define Shin's association with her stomach illness could be due to how Shin had been a reminder of the night she had been attacked and was the bringer of the tutoring and ultimately, more stress in her life. If she stopped seeing Shin, her stress would diminish to that of a level she had been accustomed to and her stomach illness would be gone. Simple as one, two, three.

Turning over to lie on her back, Davina was satisfied with her theory and was convinced it was the truth. She wouldn't quit the tutoring, _finish what you started, Davina_, she imagined her father's deep voice projecting to her. She owed Shin and she was the one who offered herself to him.

After the following Monday, Davina promised that she would go back to doing what was important. Ballet was her first and should have been her only priority. The anger that had erupted within her from being misunderstood by Shin and his friends had ruined the happiness of being congratulated for her leg extension. She had been so happy before she saw Shin too!

The alarm clock blared the worst sound in the world. With a tight fist, Davina smacked the off button until the clock was tossed to the floor from her dresser. Another rushed night that led to a long, teeth-grinding day.

The sun didn't peak through her curtains like usual so she prayed to every holy deity in existence that she had made a mistake in setting the time the previous night. Davina picked up the clock next to her bed to check because _surely_ that did NOT feel like six hours worth of anything, let alone sleep.

Damn it.

Before allowing herself to miss her bed, she set her feet on the floor and replaced her alarm back to its correct place. Maybe a nice cold shower will do the trick....

* * *

"Davina! Hello?"

A hand waved in front of Davina's face, she jolted straight and tore away from the dream-like state she had fallen into. Her school lunch room was vivacious, fuller than normally because the rainy weather hadn't ceased since the previous night. She pulled her hair behind her ears and sighed. She must have been dosing off. Her two friends, Mira and Jayla were tilting their necks and narrowing their eyes at her in suspicion.

"Are you catching a cold, Davina?" Mira asked with concern.

"You've been seeming kind of spacey lately, is there something wrong?" Jayla stabbed her fork into her lunch.

Davina peered down at her own lunch. She had managed to smear and mix her peas into her potatoes, but she hadn't eaten any of it. Her stomach rumbled with hunger, but she was just too tired to scoop up any of it with a utensil. "With the storm I didn't rest well last night. Plus, I've been extremely busy."

Her friends were taking too much consideration and thought into her words as they kept looking at each other as if trying to decide by their eyebrows if Davina was lying or not.

"Busy with _what_?" Jayla turned to Davina, her suspicion staying strong.

Davina balanced her chin on her fist. "Tutoring English..." She replied absentmindedly.

Her friends' reactions were calmer and less questioning than she expected. "Oh, really? Are you being paid?"

"It's...volunteer stuff." Davina lied. "My dad got me into it."

The girls nodded their heads, finding probability in Davina's statement.

"Japanese kids are just now having midterms, right?" Mira said before taking another bite of food.

"So I hear, but summer vacation is next month for us. God, I can't wait. Do either of you have your summer plans finalized?" Jayla wiped her mouth with a napkin.

"For two weeks, my family and me are going to Alaska. I'm still unsure about the dates, but we're expecting to go in early July." Mira twirled her utensil in her hand.

"Sounds nice. As far as I know, I'm not leaving Japan unfortunately. I'm going to Nagoya to finally meet my great-grandfather. I'm kind of nervous about it though." Davina swirled her fork, eventually bringing food to her mouth.

Perhaps it was due to the rain but Davina seemed a bit...under the weather. Jayla's and Mira's summer excitement calmed, sensing Davina's unease. She had told them a bit about her family's history, particularly that she had a Japanese great-grandfather who was a WWII veteran.

"He is family though, Davina. How could he not love you?" Jayla patted Davina's shoulder with a loving expression that warmed away Davina's cold frown. A smile curved at Davina's lips, reassuring her friends that she was alright.

"Are you going to ask him about how he met your great-grandmother?" Mira asked.

The relationship between her great-grandfather and great-grandmother was a matter that Davina had had dozens of questions but never asked to avoid being rude. She had never met her _Sofu_ so her great- grandmother's testimony was all she had to go by. Davina remembered having her questions on the tip of her tongue. Her great-grandmother had been so concise and so vague about her life in Japan, but she showed such great pain to even lightly discuss the subject that Davina repressed her curiosity.

"Do you think the weather will clear up soon? I hope it's not the start of the rainy season, though I think it's still too early for that." Jayla grimaced at the thought. She had lived in Japan for a little over two years and she had confided to her newcomer friends that the worst season in Japan for her was the mid-year rainy monsoon. Typhoons didn't come to Tokyo often, but the southern storms sent wild rain and brutal winds north, leaving the island virtually sunless and unpleasant for two months.

The girls turned to the water-stained window depicting the low gray clouds that hung in the sky outside. Any traces of thunder and lighting were gone by morning, yet random pockets of rain would pour often enough to keep the regular outside-lunch-eaters inside. Luckily for Davina, it hadn't rained during her commute to school but she had carried her umbrella with her, just in case.

Davina sighed, remembering tutoring with Shin and 3-D, and looked away from the window to eat more of her now cold lunch. "I hope so."

* * *

As usual, much of 3-D's total class was missing from the classroom. However, much to everyone's jaw-dropping surprise, they were _studying._ One 3-C student believed he was going to get pummeled when a 3-D student had yanked him back by the shoulder. The 3-C student was tinier than the other student; he gulped to himself and braced himself for the upcoming impact. When no abrasions came to his face, he cautiously peeked an eye open.

"Hey, do you know the answer to this?" The 3-D student pointed to a question in his English textbook.

The frightened student's mouth slid open. "Huh...?"

The 3-D student grew impatient and huffed in annoyance. "What? Don't you speak? Do you know the answer to this?" He tapped a furious finger onto the page of his open textbook.

_That _sounded more like a 3-D student. The shaking boy read the question. He had heard rumors about Yamaguchi's class trying to keep Fujiyama by doing decent (by 3-D's standards) on their exams. 3-C's substitute was not the attractive, feminine poise of Fujiyama, but his entire class, upon learning of the promise between Headteacher and Yamaguchi, had grudgingly bid their farewells to the beautiful Fujiyama. There was no way that 3-D was going to achieve thirty pounds on their exams. However, if giving his best answer to the dimwit in front of him would help keep his teacher employed at Shirokin then the 3-C student would give it his all.

"Answer D." The 3-C student was sure of his answer even though, honestly, his class was no good at English. How could they possibly pay attention when there always a goddess in their homeroom? Interestingly enough, math was their best subject.

The 3-D student listened to his answer and didn't utter a thanks but was mumbling the explanation given in the textbook for the answer to himself. He walked by the 3-C student, reading out loud to himself down the hallway. The 3-C boy watched with a look of disbelief. He didn't want be too optimistic, but he had gained a glimmer of hope. He was suddenly thankful for Yamaguchi. She was little dorky, yes, but he only seen a few teachers that matched her passion.

The 3-C student straightened himself and began his way back to homeroom. His English, without tooting his horn, was one of the best in Fujiyama's class. He wanted Fujiyama to stay, so, until 3-D had their midterms, he would do his best.

* * *

It was technically her hour to teach math, but Yankumi had her nose in one of the English books Davina had sorted out for her. She was double checking her study guide to avoid the nitpicking of Shin and Davina. English wasn't her subject after all....

Headteacher and Washio-sensei were chattering _loudly_ near Yankumi's desk even though their work desks were further back in the room. "Kobayashi-sensei does not seem to be a good match. He works well as a babysitter for 3-C but pity the poor man if he has to ever teach 3-D."

Yankumi squeezed her pen and groaned to herself, trying to ignore Headteacher's annoying arrogance. He and his little sidekick were parading around as though he had already won. Headteacher was the sort of pricks she used to beat up in high school. She had never really harmed them, but she would make them eat their words, and some dirt as well.

After yet another exaggerated malicious laugh, Yankumi gathered her study materials, enough was enough. She loudly stacked her fresh copies of her study guides, stacking noisily again and again, making sure that Headteacher and Washio-sensei heard. Without excusing herself, Yankumi left the teacher's room and rushed back to 3-D.

Headteacher scuffed to himself and leaned back in his desk chair. One of these days, he would find a surefire way to sack Yamaguchi and the entire class of 3-D once and for all. The easiest part of his job though, he smirked deviously, was that 3-D was prone to trouble and they would eventually screw up enough to the point where his job would already be taken care of. He grinned with his tongue at his teeth. It was only a matter of time before that perfect day arrived.

* * *

Davina stuck a careful hand outside the cover of her umbrella. When no rain touched her palm, the arm carrying her umbrella swung down to her side. The gray clouds overhead were thick with the promise of more rain, making the sky darker than it should have been for a late afternoon. She folded her umbrella and packed it away into her bag.

The exhaustion she felt standing, waiting for Shin, was equal yet so different than what she had the previous day. After several tedious applications of concealer, she had finally given up, accepting the fact that the bags under her eyes were there for the long run. The humidity, meanwhile, was doing _wonders _for her hair. No matter which shoulder she set her tresses on or how many times she comb her fingers through her locks, her hair felt sticky and heavy. Sighing, she reached into her bag and pulled out a white beret and covered her hair.

Davina stared on down both directions the road, taking in every single detail of both ways, determined not to let Shin catch her off guard for once. This time, she would see him walking to meet up with her and she would say "hello," to which Davina imagined Shin could say "hello" as well.

The ASIJ bus had already arrived at the designated stop post and picked up most of the students. Mira and Jayla were in that group of regulars. They both had given her their mutual squints of suspicion when Davina admitted that "one of her _students _was coming to retrieve her."

"Are you sure?" Jayla asked, giving the impression that she sense that Davina was hiding something.

Truthfully, Shin walking with her was something Davina hadn't actually put any thought to, Shin actually hadn't told Davina that he was coming to accompany her to Shirokin again. Even though the honest answer to Jayla's question was "no," Davina didn't doubt for a second that Shin would come all the way just to stroll with her to his school. She flashed Mira and Jayla a reassuring smile and hurried them away so they could catch their bus.

Davina hadn't watched them get on the bus but when the bus drove off, Mira and Jayla were gone too.

She leaned against the metal gates of the school, right next to the proud sign that clearly read in English and Japanese, "American High School in Japan." Davina, while staring at the silver lettering of the sign, imagined what it might have been like if Mira and Jayla ever met Shin? What would have happened if her two friends ever met 3-D? Both of them spoke better Japanese than Davina so communicating wouldn't have been difficult. However, when she pictured the meeting...she decided that her two friends could be turned off by 3-D's persist flirtations, no matter how flattering they found it. Her two friends meeting Shin...they would have had a hard time understanding the premise of their friendship, relationship—no, _association—_with each other. Hell, Davina couldn't understand herself.

Shin didn't trust her to walk home alone for goodness sake. Any other girl would consider that creepy and stalker-like, not that Davina didn't _not _perceive it was those two things, but that was how it worked between her and Shin. She had, in fact, never bothered to argue his walking her home. She had also never found herself minding all that much—

Davina's hair fell in waves to her face. She gasped and jumped, her hand flying to the top of her head. Her hat was gone. She turned around and saw Shin, with his hand closed over her beret.

That _bastard_! Of course he teleports behind her in between the nine seconds she hadn't been paying attention.

The look she was threatening him with was one of death. Nonetheless, Shin figured he'd allow her to be upset with him. "You know you don't have to wear a hat to cover up your hair." He stuffed the white hat into his jacket pocket.

Davina groaned angrily to herself. At this rate, Shin was going to effectively steal all of her hats.

"Won't a simple 'hello' do just fine Shin?!" Davina crossed her arms but suddenly remembered her messy hair and frustratedly tried to smooth out the tresses.

Though he didn't show it on his face, Shin was slightly amused to watch Davina get so frantic over an article of clothing. Judging by how she had just snapped at him, Davina was still a bit touchy about his returning her money the prior night.

"Ya know," She began with a raised voice, still wearing a glared expression. "I might have worn that because it went with my outfit. A person can wear a hat for reasons other than insecurity. Don't ya know?!"

Davina's redundancy reminded him of Yankumi's dialectical switch from standard Japanese to Yakuza slang. Being yelled at by Davina, was almost just as funny as being yelled at by Yankumi. Shin smirked and chuckled to himself.

Davina's entire body stiffened, her eyes widened and both her jaw and arms dropped. She wouldn't, _couldn't_ allow herself to fully grasp what she was viewing. He was actually _laughing _at her?! His smile reawakened the butterflies in her stomach, causing her cheeks to burn and her heart pound in her ears. Her legs grew fidgety and restless, no longer able to gaze at his smile and keep herself together, she turned and took furious strides down the street. "Aren't we going?!" She wailed without looking back. A sigh and few deep breaths slowly soothed away the hot flash in her cheeks and the pounding in ears. The butterflies continued to swirl, triggered by the uncontrolled replay of Shin's smile in her head.

Shin let Davina go on for a few paces ahead of him, just to let her cool off. He continued to smirk at her back, watching her arms fold over her chest then randomly fall back down to her sides. She brisked ahead, her steps long and fast enough so that he had to quicken beyond his usual walking speed. His fists closed inside his jacket pockets where he felt the soft material of Davina's white hat. He prepared a counter argument against her wearing a cotton hat _in the rain, _but seeing the girl get feisty was just so funny. He hadn't meant to insult her by laughing but her annoyance from the day before might have inspired her stomping departure.

Too bad though, Shin thought. He had planned to use the walk up to Shirokin gakuen as a chance to explain to Davina about Noda and Fujiyama-sensei. He wouldn't dare approach Davina now, no, no. Telling Minami to give up on his girlfriend was easier than trying to talk to a woman when she was angry. He sighed, deciding that he would have to wait until later to give her the full details.

And maybe later he would make peace with her and return her hat.

* * *

Seeing 3-D's faces light up when Davina and Shin walked in was enough for Davina's foul mood to finally fade away. Shin had kept a safe three paces behind her the entire way there, her frigid aura had melted after the train ride, evident by how she looked back at him, checking to see if he was still with her.

3-D's unconditional happiness was contagious, causing a smile to pull at Davina lips. And to think, Davina reminded herself of her bitter thoughts from the morning, she had almost convinced herself to stop coming to 3-D's tutoring. Even Shin friends, Uchi, Minami, Noda, and Kuma, were content to see her. Memories from the previous night flashed in her head of dinner and Shin giving her the money. It appeared as though no bad feelings existed, however she decided to wait before she would let her guard down.

Yankumi's hand quivered at the chalkboard, surprised by Shin's and Davina's sudden appearance but visibly grateful. "Dozo." _Here you go. _She went to the podium and handed them each a copy of her mistake-proof study guide. She grinned to herself. There was no way, over her dead body, that either Shin or Davina would find a mistake on her mistake-proof study guide that she had checked over _at least _one hundred times—

"Um...sensei?" Davina pointed to the English quote on the front page.

"Yes, Dabina-chan?" Yankumi walked in between Shin and Davina and looked on at Davina's copy of the study guide.

"This quote, 'make miracle' is grammatically incorrect, sensei." Davina never looked up from the page so she didn't see Yankumi's pout.

Yankumi gripped her own copy and brought it inches away from her glasses. She looked to Shin, who nodded. _Yes, it is incorrect. _

The teacher's nostrils flared. Her mistake-proof study guide, which had been checked not only by her but everyone who lived in the Oedo house, was compromised by one _little_ glance at the front page by this foreign teenager. Yankumi knew she had no grounds to argue, Davina's check on English grammar was natural feeling, but she had worked so hard last night...

"But, I see what you did here. Pretending to make a mistake so the class could catch it. It's perfect for what we are learning!" Davina smiled as she circle around Yankumi and picked up a white piece of chalk and rewrote "make miracle."

Yankumi stood in her spot for a long moment, confused until she finally understood. Playing off her mistake, she enclosed her hands behind her back and tilted her head wistfully. "Ha! Of course that mistake was intentional! In life, when you boys grow up and speak with native English speakers, there isn't going to be a teacher hovering over you to point out the mistakes. You must learn these lessons now and become the best you can be!"

Her glasses glared proudly in the fluorescent lighting. 3-D merely shrug off Yankumi's _wisdom_ with blank expressions. Yankumi, however, was frozen by Shin's unwavering stare, shaking his head. She knew she hadn't fooled him.

Davina waited by the chalkboard, ready with a piece in hand, for Yankumi to finish her speech. The teacher sure loved to talk. Davina also hadn't fully understood what Yankumi had been preaching about.

"Boys—" Davina heard the metal grinding of desks scooting to the front and chuckled to herself—"what is wrong with this quote?"

Davina turned away from the green board and confirming what she had heard, the entire class had moved their desks closer, leaving Shin's lone desk in the back.

Shin strolled around the oval of desks and slouched into his seat. Obviously bored, he contented himself by staring blankly at the window planted over the lockers. Resting his chin in his left palm, his right fingertips tapped rhythmically on the side of his desk.

Davina sighed at the sight of Shin. He wasn't planning on being much help was he?

Several of the boys were flipping through their textbooks, trying to find the lesson about articles. Others were waving their pencils in front of their noses or scratching their heads. Murmurs of "ne...which is it?" were spread throughout the classroom.

The classroom creaked open. "Make A miracle." Called an unfamiliar voice from the door. Everyone craned their neck to see who have arrived.

There stood three other Shirokin students but none were from 3-D. The answer had come from the student standing in the middle as he seemed the most confident of the three, which wasn't saying much. The other two were practically hiding behind their middle bystander, obviously dragged unwillingly by their friend, assuming they were friends.

Whispers of "who are they?" scattered the room. Davina had appeared to be just as clueless as they were so they apparently weren't with her, thought the 3-D students.

"They're 3-C students." Said a 3-D student with a deep voice. "The one in the middle helped me with a question earlier."

There was a nod throughout the room. More murmurs were exchanged, Davina only heard slight hints of what was being said: "3-C? Fujiyama's class."

Yankumi peered from the 3-C students at the door a few feet away to her own students. "Is there something that you need?" Yankumi approached them, trying to warm up the atmosphere for the students, seeing their apprehension towards her 3-D class.

3-D's students fixed their eyes suspiciously on the three students as Yankumi led them into the classroom. The air grew tense and thick, regardless of Yankumi's kindness, so much so that even Davina noticed.

Davina knew very little about 3-D's affairs with the rest of the school, but judging by what she was seeing, there was obvious animosity with other classes.

The middle student was blind to the tension, however, he displayed a lowered head as if he were going to ask a favor. "Yamaguchi-sensei, we, representatives of class 3-C, ask to be of help to 3-D for their English exams. We are the best English speakers of our class. We wish for Fujiyama to stay at Shirokin. ONEGAISHIMASU!" He bowed sharply from the waist down at Yankumi then straightened. The student turned to the rest of 3-D, he gaze slowly roved over the class, the depth in his eyes showing his genuine sincerity, he then bowed once more. "ONEGAISHIMASU!"

The boy's two accomplices bowed as well in unison. "ONEGAISHIMASU!"

Davina rubbed and turned the chalk between her fingers. She caught Shin's eyes; he read her confusion, but she couldn't see through Shin's poker face his regret of not telling her about Fujiyama. She was able to gather, though, that he would do some explaining later on, if time and chance permitted.

Noda stood from his desk in silence, under everyone's watchful eyes. He walked up the 3-C students as all three of them straightened and waited. Noda, with an unmistakable expression of guilt, lowered his head. Eying the three of them, establishing their willingness to help, Noda eventually lifted an awkward arm and patted the middle student on the back, cutting the tension.

Yankumi's eyes glimmered behind her glasses as if she were about bawl. It was unfathomable that 3-C had come on their own accord to offer their help and her class was willing to accept them. "Everyone, let's do our best! Dabina-chan, please continue, ne?"

Davina's head piped up, originally focused on the display in the middle of the room. "Oh, yes, sensei." She rewrote the quote in chalk as it should have been: make a miracle!

Perhaps it hadn't registered before to the 3-C boys that there was a redheaded teenage girl in the room, however their oblivion was ruined fairly quickly and obviously when they all stiffened then all walked up next to her to introduce themselves. They were all muttering in Japanese, "gaijin...gaijin...what do we say?"

"What do we say?!"

"Idiot! We speak perfectly good English!"

"Then you go first!"

The middle student glared at his two friends to quiet down. Davina's face twitched; when were people going to finally accept the fact that she had decent fluency in Japanese and could understand when they were generally spattering about as if she weren't there? Decent fluency might have been pushing it, but she definitely could understand "_foreigner...foreigner!_" being stammered over and over again.

The middle student cleared his throat. "I...my name is Tsuchida, Tatsuya." He said in accented English with a bow. Sweat dripped down his temple, so much for being the best English speaker in his class...

It had been months after her move to Japan and Davina was still uneasy about bowing and would occasionally forget that people just didn't shake hands here.

Davina gave a courteous smile, "my name is Davina Summons. Nice to meet you."

Tsuchida-san held out his right hand for Davina to shake. At first Davina was slow, due to having adjusted to the lack of handshaking, but eventually blushed from not returning the gesture. She stuck out her hand and shook his strongly.

3-D, judging by their narrowed eyes and suspicious whispers, seemed to perceive her blushing and handshaking as flirting.

"Hey, 3-C," hissed an intimidating student, sitting near Minami. Tsuchida-san lowered his hand and the other two boys turned their heads in the same direction. "Back off of Dabina-chan! She's ours!"

The student received nods of approval and a pat on the shoulder from his fellow classmates. "Couldn't have said it better myself!" Added another student, his narrowed eyes still glued to the trio in the front of the classroom.

_Oh my god_. Davina groaned to herself. Meanwhile, Yankumi sighed to herself, so much for peace between the two classes. Over a girl.

Before her class could get too incited and start hooting roars induced by testosterone, Yankumi pushed the 3-C boys aside, "please continue, ne, Dabina-chan?"

Davina eagerly agreed and frantically flipped the page of her study guide. Yankumi took the left half of the board and together, Davina and Yankumi wrote the rules of more in depth English word order and articles.

The 3-C boys were left to awkwardly stand by the door, huddled together like a pack of penguins. Tsuchida-san listened and absorbed the lesson, actually following along. His two friends however, were scanning the threatening faces from most of the 3-D class. Both of them had completely forgotten exactly how and why Tsuchida had coaxed them to do this.

"_For Fujiyama!_" The three of them had shouted together after the final bell had rung, before they had left for Yamaguchi's homeroom.

As much as the boys wanted to keep the foxy Fujiyama as their homeroom teacher, they hadn't wished to place their lives on the line by tutoring dimwits. They hadn't even uttered their names yet and already 3-D wanted to put them through a world of pain.

"And be sure NOT to insult them. Not one of them, because they are a pack, they stand up for each other. Not even sarcastically or in jest or they WILL kick our asses." Tsuchida had warned them both before the entering the classroom, during their dreading trip down the hall.

The two boys shared mutual expressions of horror. Again, how had Tsuchida convinced them to do this?

"Boys?" Yankumi said suddenly, slapping the chalk from her hands. "Get comfortable, and don't be afraid to speak up, alright?" She smiled warmly before twisting around to face her class. "The second sheet in the study guide is for individual work. Davina and I will circle around and help those who ask. And our _friends_ from 3-C will also provide you with help. Do your best."

With another glance at the maliciously eager faces of 3-D, the 3-C boys gulped and gave strained nods to Yankumi.

Yankumi enclosed her hands behind her back again and slowly tiptoed to next to Davina. Still facing the 3-C students, she whispered to Davina's ear, "Dabina-chan, I'm going to hover around and make sure nothing starts up with these boys. You and Shin got this right?"

Davina peered over Yankumi to Shin. All the way from across the classroom, Shin stared back at her for a brief moment then sighed at the window as though he was aware of the agreement she was making with Yankumi. "Yes, sensei. We'll take care of it." Davina replied, tucking a lock of hair to her ear.

Looking in the general direction, Davina saw Uchi's arm rise up and waved. "Da-BI-na-chan! I have a question!" Uchi grinned and winked at her.

Davina chuckled to herself and set her piece of chalk down to retrieve her study guide. Yankumi sighed to herself, wishing she could do more to make sure the boys would take Davina seriously. However, the girl had agreed that she would be fine while Yankumi watched over the 3-C boys. Kawashima-sensei wouldn't be in the infirmary to wrap any injuries if any were to occur.

Uchi leaned his back towards Shin, who was laying his head down to sleep. "Shin!" He wrapped his arms around his desk chair while Shin slowly lifted his head from his arms.

Shin blinked droopy eyes at Uchi. "What?" Shin groaned in response.

"I study English at night and I have so many questions. You should give me Dabina's number." Uchi flashed his teeth eagerly at Shin.

Shin squinted his eyes at him and yawned. "If you had questions about English, you should have called me."

Uchi withdrew, his eyes trailing the ground, trying to find a decent comeback. He hadn't expected Shin to be willing to release Davina's number but he at least figured Shin would have yelled "shut up."

Minami, however, jumped in. "Shin doesn't have feminine grace, nor does his hair smell as nice." Minami, Uchi, and Kuma laughed together, leaving Shin to roll his eyes at the window and bend over to take a nap.

Davina knocked on Uchi's desk to acquire his attention. "Yes, Uchi?"

Uchi twisted back slowly, trying to be macho by showing off his chest by folding his arms behind his head and fixing his collar. "I'm sorry, Dabina-chan. I seem to have forgotten my question. But give me your number, I might remember later." He grabbed the handle of his guitar case. "Maybe I can play it for you sometime."

Davina pouted and cocked an eyebrow at him, eventually causing Uchi to bow his head and lower his arms with bashful uncertainty.

Kuma and Minami eyed each other, giggling behind tight lips. "Smooth, wiseguy, _smooth_." Minami playfully punched his blond friend's shoulder. "Even if you get the highest score on the exam, if she rejects you now, it's all void."

Uchi let out a hot puff of air. "I don't get how Shin managed to get a pretty girl's number."

"He didn't get my number, I _gave _it to him." Davina smirked then left Shin's friends to answer another crying call of questions from the front of the room.

Behind her, Uchi, Minami, Kuma all wailed. "Ehhh?! How does Shin attract girls when all he does is sleep?!"

Davina sighed, recalling the night before, Shin handing her the money. Apparently, if his friends had a rough impression of her, it didn't stop them from hitting on her. She straightened the student's mix up of the articles fairly quickly, the most difficult part being able to simplify English rules in comprehensible Japanese. The student had been extremely patient with her and seemed to understand Davina's choppy explanation. To her left, Tsuchida was assisting a student however, the student was being a bit difficult and second guessing Tsuchida's answers.

"He knows what he is talking about." Davina stepped in, grabbing the student's book to confirm Tsuchida's answer. "The answer would be A, but B adds an 's' to the noun, which gives the sentence correct word order. The article 'the' is correct in both A and B though, so it is easy to confuse them."

The student surrendered his argument with Tsuchida, knowing his side wouldn't hold against Davina, the native speaker. He didn't say anything, just circled the answer and continued reading.

Davina and Tsuchida secured eye contact, sharing quick acknowledgment. It was the first insistence that Davina could see how much the tutoring sessions mattered, not only to the particular class of 3-D, but to other classes as well. Something was at sake and soon she would ask someone to explain.

There was a loud rush of students to the center of the classroom. One of the 3-C boys was being held by a 3-D student at the elbow. The 3-D student squeezed his English textbook with a strong expression on his face. Yankumi tried to wiggle through, worried about a fight breaking out between the 3-D boys versus the 3-C trio. "Let me through!" She shouted over the boys.

"I did it! I wrote the sentence right!" The 3-D student shook the 3-C student who had helped him in excitement. The 3-C student stood stiffly braced at the elbow, awkwardly patting the 3-D student on the back with a tight smile, trying to show his congratulations.

Yankumi stopped in her tracks, peeking from behind the shoulders of one of her students. Davina, who had been standing only a few desk away, hadn't noticed what was happening until the students in the rows next to her pushed their desks aside to the circle developing in the middle of the classroom. The redhead looked towards the back of the classroom to Shin. He had stood straight and alert from his desk, absorbing the situation, waiting to act.

Tsuchida slowly nodded his head to the 3-C student in the center, allowing the awkward student to relax. _He's not going to hurt you_. The 3-C student continued patting him on the back and muttered a swift but sincere, "good work."

As the classroom calmed back into their desks, Davina peered from Shin to Yankumi, remembering mutters of a name, Fujiyama was it? There was about an hour of tutoring left but she was anxious to find a free moment to ask her questions. Who is Fujiyama?!

* * *

"The weather is bad, ne?" The boys kept uttering, all glancing to the pattering window. Literally, the precise moment that Yankumi finally dismissed the classroom, rain began pouring. The teacher had grunted to herself. She had been hoping to leave before the rain had started again.

Tsuchida and the rest of the 3-C students regrouped, making sure all three of them had made it through. Tsuchida seemed cheery while his two friends appeared to be a little jittery but whole. "Can we do this again tomorrow?" Tsuchida said rhetorically, causing his friends to simper. True, they had made it out alive and the 3-D students seemed thankful, but they were still dead frightened of 3-D. Still, the class was doing this for _their _homeroom teacher, something had to be good about them, right?

Davina waited until nearly half the classroom had cleared before sneaking up to Yankumi's podium. She watched the teacher pack away her books and stacks of papers before opening up with her planned conversation. "Sensei?"

"Yes, Dabina-chan?" Yankumi barely looked up, debating whether or not the umbrella she had brought with her to school would be enough or if she should take a taxi.

Davina bit her lip. "Sensei, if you need any help with getting the study guides put together or if you have any questions, I can give my cellphone number." She showed the teacher her cellphone, intent on offering her number.

Yankumi peered up, her mouth slipped open, 'oh.' The teacher searched through her purse to produce a pink cellphone, she flipped it open and turned on the info-red. Davina flipped hers open as well and matched the sensors of the two phones until a menu on both phones flashed that their numbers and information had swapped effectively.

"Arigatou, Dabina-chan." The teacher smiled and replaced her phone into her bag, believing that Davina needed nothing else.

"Excuse me...sensei?" Davina leaned in, lowering her voice, twiddling with her phone.

Yankumi suspiciously leaned, wondering why Davina was being so discreet. "Yes, Dabina-chan?"

Davina bit her lip and inhaled deeply. "Who...is Fujiyama?" Her voice dipped as she uttered the name.

Yankumi leaned back in surprise. "Dabina-chan! Hasn't Shin told you?" Why hadn't Shin explained the story to her? Yankumi stared at the pondering teenager, crossing her arms, trying to decide why hadn't Shin told Davina and how she could give the details to her. If there was a reason for Shin not to tell her, should she tell Davina? Didn't the girl have a right to know?

Speak of the devil, Shin slicked in next to the desk. He didn't appear to be mad or uneasy, simply Shin. He nudged Davina and began leading out to the back exit of the classroom. "Shall we go?"

Unbeknown to him, Davina rolled her eyes. She was still annoyed with him, a bit from the previous night and for stealing now _two _of her hats.

Yankumi watched as the two teenagers exited the backdoor together. She slung her bag over her shoulder and prepared her umbrella. Whatever was going on between them was interesting and secretive. Glancing towards the rain-stained window to her left. The spattering of rain made her sigh...maybe she would take a taxi.

* * *

Davina unfolded her umbrella and held it over her head. She looked to her left at Shin, seeing him standing casually before she realized that the boy didn't have any rain protection.

"No umbrella or coat?" She asked him.

The rain was pouring quickly from the gray sky overhead, however Shin didn't seem phased. "I'll be fine."

Davina exhaled a deep breath, hating herself for what she was about to do. She lifted her umbrella so that it hung over her and him. "Share it?"

Shin inched in under the umbrella and both teenagers walked out onto the school grounds. The weird stomach feeling came back when Davina learned that she could barely walk next to him under the umbrella without brushing up against him. She gritted her teeth, it was just the stress, she reminded herself.

She turned away, watching students stroll with umbrellas and coats or dashing home with no cover. Behind them, Yankumi had seen Davina offer to share her umbrella and was gleaming. "Spring is the season for love, isn't it?"

"We don't know how Shin manages to get them." Kuma's voice uttered next to Yankumi. The teacher turned and saw Kuma, Uchi, Minami, and Noda ducking under their books.

"Do you think it's for his good looks?" Noda asked. All of them stared on as Davina and Shin turned around the gate.

"Does Shin attract a lot of girls?" Yankumi asked, tilting her head at the group.

"Girls like looking at him but he pays no mind to any of them. 'Not interested' he says." Minami replied.

"Girls usually stop pursuing him when they see how standoff-ish he is. That's why we drag him to parties with us. Shin draws them in, but our personalities keep them." Noda grinned.

"I wish I had girl to share an umbrella with." Uchi muttered and all his friends agreed. Yankumi saw the lonely expressions of her students and imagined them thinking about girls they had fallen for. Her eyes fell upon Noda, she knew he was worried about Fujiyama, Shizuka as he called her.

Even with Davina and Shin had gone around the corner, Yankumi wondered if Shin had planned on telling Davina what she need to know and if he would pay justice to the emotional significance of this situation, especially for one of best friends.

* * *

Davina's heart pattered excitedly in her chest each time Shin's arm brushed against hers. The scent that drove her insane the previous night was still intoxicating. It was so difficult to stand so close to him knowing the sort of effect his presence had on her.

After another unpleasant brush, she unconsciously peered up at Shin. The calm Shin peered down back at her, causing her to blush. She sighed, hoping the extra air would soothe away her nerves and get rid of the red in her face. Her fingertips lightly pressed against her cheeks. _What _was her problem?

She had a few questions that she wasn't sure if she even dared to ask anymore. She wanted to know about Fujiyama and what Noda's connection was to that person. Also what Fujiyama and Noda had to do with thirty points on midterms and tutoring.

Down the row of trees and the paved path, there were no vendors out today. The overlapping of the branches provided plenty of cover against the rain, however, Davina kept the umbrella up above her and Shin. Except for a few groups of school kids and business men running home, the park was mostly empty. Davina was interested in Shin's demeanor. While everyone rushed by them for home, not even rain could hurry Shin towards their destination.

"Do you like the rain?" Davina uttered softly against the splattering of rain in the trees, watching her shoes splash in the puddles.

"It has its beauty, but you won't miss it after a few months of only rainy weather." Shin answered. Davina moved her hair over her shoulder, trying to avoid getting it wet. She imagined he was talking about the dreaded rainy season that Jayla had mentioned earlier that day.

They continued to walk under the trees. Davina eternally was fighting a sick stomach and the urges to ask about Fujiyama, Noda, and his friends. She bit her lip, trying to find the right way to jump into it.

Shin noticed how she chewed on her lip. "You remember Tsuchida and his friends from earlier?"

Davina looked up at Shin and nodded her head. "Yes, I do."

They reached the intersection, waiting for the crosswalk to give them right of way. They stayed a few feet away from the edge of the pavement to avoid getting soaked by puddles splashed by passing cars. The group of girls in front of them weren't so lucky or thoughtful.

Just before the lights changed, Shin continued, "they belong to class 3-C, their headteacher was Fujiyama sensei. You might have seen her already, she occasionally spies on our tutoring."

"Oh..." Davina voiced inaudibly. She hadn't noticed actually, or if she had seen her she hadn't paid any mind to her. "What does she look like?" She asked more clearly.

"She is beautiful. Short red-ish hair, tall, curvy. Most men find her attractive."

Davina nodded, now she was especially interested. She wanted to know what Shin found to be beautiful. She had felt a slight pang when he called the teacher beautiful but she sorted it out to be curiosity.

"Most of her students lust after her, winning her obedience from her class and even 3-D. Yankumi teaches math while Fujiyama's subject is English."

Davina listened intently as they stepped onto the pavement of the other street. That explained about the academic subject of the exams. "And Noda...?"

"Noda—" Shin began again, sharply. "Noda fell in love Fujiyama." Davina let out a small gasp, her mouth flying to her mouth. Shin peered down at her wide eyes. "To catch her attention, he studied hard and he purchased a present for her."

_Awwww, _Davina's cheeks turned red with excitement.

"However, he found out she had thrown his present away."

Davina gasped again, now mad and disgusted. Shin sighed, this girl might as well be watching one of those terrible TV dramas. If she kept gasping and interrupting him, he would never get to finish explaining. She however, caught his sigh and made note to quiet down her responses.

"Because he was upset, he took a photo of her working as a hostess in a club in Ginza and emailed it to the school. Yankumi was furious with him. She doubted his love, causing him to run away. It was looking as though Fujiyama was going to get sacked. Luckily, Yankumi made a deal with Headteacher that if everyone in 3-D earned at least thirty points on their upcoming English midterms, Fujiyama could keep her job, if she wished."

"You recalled the offer I had made a while back. And you thought you wouldn't need my number." She added.

"I called you after the first tutoring session, after seeing Noda's face on the walk home. Upon seeing 3-D's apprehension about getting thirty points, she set up after school study sessions. The first day it was only Uchi, Minami, Kuma and I. Noda begged every single student of 3-D to attend the tutoring sessions the night before you first came to class."

Shin allowed for Davina to absorb all the information as they entered the train station, which seemed a little bit busier than usual. Davina folded her umbrella and shook away the water as they strolled onto the platform for the Northbound train.

"No ballet today?" Shin asked as the roar of the incoming train drew in the crowds lining up along the edges of the platform.

"No ballet in the _studio. _I practice everyday. Why you ask?" Davina asked as she lined up behind Shin to board the train.

"_Betsu ni_." He answer. _Nothing._

No, no, not _betsu ni_. Was he going to ask her to hang out before he took her home? Butterflies were flying and darting every which direction in her torso. She was glad Shin was turned away, otherwise he would have seen her burning red in her cheeks. Her fingertips pressed against her cheekbones again. You know, flushed cheeks was usually a symptom of an upcoming illness...she reasoned with herself as she boarded the train.

* * *

"_Ano_, Shin?" Davina eventually asked after what seemed forever. If her calculations were correct, she only had minutes to have Shin explain the last two remaining subjects on her mind before he left her at her home. "What is the classroom pact about getting the highest grade on the midterm?"

Shin sighed under the umbrella. He hadn't expected Davina to remember and or actually ask about it. "The classroom decided amongst themselves that whoever got the highest grade on the exam would be good enough to ask you out on a date."

Davina's jaw dropped. Really, now? "Hmmm..."

"Noda is most likely going to get the highest grade, however his heart belongs to Fujiyama. There was nothing in the original agreement in the classroom about the 'prize' being given to the next person if the first place person didn't accept the 'prize.' Which is why 3-D students intimidated the 3-C students to keep their flirtations away from you."

"What if you get the highest grade?" The words slipped from Davina's mouth before she could stop them. She bit hard into her lip, almost causing it to bleed.

Shin considered her statement, however he easily replied. "Don't we already hang out alone?"

True, Davina thought to herself. But there was a definite difference between a date and just walking her home. Davina shook her head. Why was she thinking such things? Did she actually hope for Shin to get the highest score and to go out on a date with him? _Please!_ As if!

"Are Kuma, Uchi, Minami, and Noda angry with what I did last night?" More words spewed from Davina's mouth, in Japanese no less.

Shin cocked an eyebrow at her. They had reached the gates of the Hardy Barracks. The two guards at the front glared at Shin, even though they were different from the usual night guards who had seen Shin before. "Why would they be angry?"

Davina reached her hand into her wallet for her military identification while watching Shin's expression. "B-because...because I left money on the table for all the meals. You said they found my gesture rude..."

"They hardly remembered what happened last night. If anything, Kuma loved you for giving him your leftovers. He and the rest of them proposed that you join us for dinner again, but only if they all pitch in for your meal."

Davina nearly dropped her wallet she was so dumbstruck. Shin had led her to believe that her first impression was ruined, however he had never really suggested that...damn it! She bit her lip, this time tearing the tissue and tasting some blood. _This _misunderstanding was the reason why she couldn't sleep the night before?!

"You okay?" Shin must have seen Davina's obvious disgruntlement.

"I'm fine, just fine." She simpered, wishing to snap herself out of it. Since when had she let such meager things unwind her so? "Also, Shin, are you ever going to give me my hat back?" She recalled earlier when he stuffed her white hat into his blazer pocket.

"Why should I?"

Davina's mouth slid open as she managed to cross her arms while still holding the umbrella over them. She hadn't expected to be arguing with about her accessories and she definitely hadn't expected him to be so simple with his statements. "Because it is my hat! And so is the other one! Why won't you give them back?"

Shin did it again. He _smiled _and _laughed. _Why was he laughing at her? Before she could ask, his expression dramatically changed from happy to serious. Davina held back her word, waiting for an action from him.

He stepped closer. They had technically been standing inches away from each other under an umbrella but he felt _too_ close now and suddenly the air between was so tight and uncomfortable that Davina could hardly breathe. His eyes grew intense drawing her to stare back. Her green set met his brown set. If she could look away she might have but no reason in her head was strong enough to push away her fixed gaze. One of his hands slid down her shoulder to her crown and his fingers ran through her red tresses. He raised his hand towards him so that every lock of hair slowly untangled and fell gently back to her chest. "This is why."

His voice rang in her ears and she drew in a harsh breath of air. Her torso pounded from her erratic pulse and her stomach was jittery from those _blasted _butterflies. Her knees were now giving way and her balance was shaking. Her _balance_?! She was a ballerina for goodness sake! What was happening to her?!

"Davina...?"

"Huh?" Davina shook her head, now realizing she had been breathing heavily. "Yes, Shin?"

"It stopped raining..." Shin held a hand under the umbrella then carefully moved her fingers from the umbrella's handle. Her fingers were locked as if trying to savor the feeling his touch as Shin folded her umbrella and shook away the excess water. She glanced at the sky above and sure enough, no rain, in fact, it was almost sunny. She hadn't noticed at all, so she wondered exactly for how long had it stopped raining?

Shin handed the girl back her umbrella and strolled with her the remaining way to the gates. He ignored the threatening expressions of the guards as Davina showed them her military identification. She adjusted her bag strap on her shoulder to give her nervous fingers something to do while she turned around to say goodbye.

Shin shrugged his fists into his pockets, squeezing Davina's second hat in his palm. "See you tomorrow then?"

Davina nodded her head, "see you."

With one last glance, Shin twisted around and started for home. Davina meanwhile let her fingers grasp the locks of hair Shin's hands had felt as she watched him leave. Any and all foolish conclusions that Davina had made about her butterflies about Shin being nerves, illness, etc, all melted away. She wasn't _that _dumb and inexperienced. She had watched many friends go through what she was now seeing for herself. And so she knew now that for the night, she would be doomed to dreaming about his smell, hands, fingers, and, lips.

Shin smiled to himself as he gazed at the sky, knowing it wasn't going to rain on him. He was relieved that with some patience, he was able to at least to smooth away any bad feelings being held against him for stealing her hats and returning her money. He should have realized though that Davina would have been worried about her impression with his friends. Crossing the intersection, his memory of his conversation with his friends flashed in his head.

"Keep her around, Shin." Noda had said after Shin mentioned the previous night that he was going to walk her home.

"Yeah, because even if none of us have a chance with her, she can at least give us advice on how to...you know, get more girlfriends." Uchi added, making all of his friends nod with him.

"She might have other friends who are girls as well." Minami chimed in.

"I rather like Davina's company. So, don't you scare her away!" Kuma finished between bites of noodles. All four of his friends give him serious expressions of 'screw this up and we will make you _suffer_.'

Shin didn't tell them that it was completely up to Davina whether or not she stayed in his or their lives. He had already forced his way in by asking for a favor. He then began to imagine what if Davina had rejected having him in her life. He would always provide protection for her but lately he was actually beginning to want to be closer friends with her. The language and cultural barrier was slowly diminishing, which meant that eventually the only thing between them being friends was their own internal inhibitions.

For now, his friends would be glad to know that because of his success that day, Shin was successfully warming up to her.

* * *

Thank you for reading and please review!

As for hints, if I were to provide you all with hints it would spoil all of the fun :) But I suppose it won't hurt to tell you all that one particular plot point that I had saved for this chapter was moved to a later chapter and instead of being a tiny bit taking only half a chapter is being spread into a (at least) three chapter long ordeal coming up in the next couple of chapters. If my writing skills are up for it, the ordeal will be dealing with a type of situation that was not dealt with in the J-drama series. Another hint, I suppose is that we all know who got the highest score on the English midterm ;)


	7. Chapter 7: Tsuchida's Flirtations

Rest in Peace, King of Pop.

Please pardon the rather long absence of updating. Life was been busy and much to my frustration, I've had little time for this story. And not much else.... Thank you so much for your patience and I apologize for the wait. I hope this chapter was worth it. Also, as far as hints go, I have come up with a chapter estimate and so far I believe that this story will continue for _at least_ twenty-five chapters if I succeed with the story line in my head. It's already looking like it will be much longer than that.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Seven

* * *

Dancing the night away was out of the question. She had already stretched her limbs past their ability to move. Her homework had taken an extra hour to finish since her mind kept getting distracted when she would daydream his hand in her hair. Her parents, in their few seconds of interaction, had noticed her glee.

"_Is something the matter, Davina?" Her mother had asked, letting her reading glasses slip down the bridge of her nose. _

_Davina, who had been thinking warmly about Shin, stiffened as though she were caught doing something wrong. "No...why would you think that?"_

"_It's just...your cheeks suddenly grew flush. Are you getting sick, Davina?" _

_Davina's hand rushed her cheek. Seeing her mother's narrowed suspicion, she relaxed her posture and shrugged off her mother's worries. "No, probably just allergies or something due to the weather change."_

_Her mother readjusted her glasses, but had watched Davina until the teenage girl left for her room. Homework, she had said. Her mother hadn't necessarily bought her allergy answer; Davina had been acting a little strange lately, but normal enough that it wouldn't cause alarm. Exams? Summer? She would have asked, but if Davina was willing to tell her then she would had already done so. Sometimes that girl could be just a stubborn as her father. Perhaps, going to Nagoya to see her great grandfather would help get her mind off of whatever was bothering her. If Davina wouldn't come to her, then she, as her mother, would go and seek out what was up with her daughter lately. _

Davina had been distracted at dinner, her stomach pattering with butterflies. She had excused herself from the table early to go work on homework. Twenty minutes worth of homework managed to take two hours. She would stare at her papers, trying as hard as she can to focus. She would clear her thoughts, reread the question, move her hair from her face, only to remember Shin's piercing gaze while his fingers were tangled in her hair.

She sighed and shut her eyes. This was getting ridiculous.

After her work was finished. Davina had tried to tire herself out by working on her dance movements. The audition requirements for S.A.B. weren't officially announced yet, but Davina was preparing bits of a routine to solidify by the time of the audition. With every leap, stretch, and pointe, her body was doing the movements, but her mind was clouded with memories of walking home with Shin, standing only a few inches away, and remembering how her heart pounded every time his arm touched against hers.

Smoothing the beads of sweat from her forehead, she had glared at herself in her mirror. The face was familiar, same structure, same eyes, same hair, but the shadows were different. Darkness drooped under her eyes and her cheeks were hallowed. Stress and lack of sleep, perhaps? S.A.B. wouldn't take her if she showed any signs of distraction at her audition. Many dancers who audition for S.A.B. had plenty of talent, but if her skin wasn't glowing and if her smile wasn't gleaming, what would it matter if she could leap high?

The butterflies hadn't tired at all. As she lay in bed, body wanting to sleep, her mind and butterflies grew excited from thinking Shin's face. Sleeping was as futile as homework.

Rain sprinkled against her window and Davina curled in her bed, allowing herself to smile. The excitement that she was feeling wasn't important, a little immature, she thought. Still, though, Davina couldn't believe that in such a short time, someone could protrude into her thoughts and life as though nothing else wasn't important.

It had taken a couple of weeks for Davina to finally stop thinking about Shin, that boy she had given her number to, after the night he had saved her. She had accepted the fact that she would never see him again and then out of no where, she got a phone call from him. In her wildest imagination, she never would have thought teaching English to group of high school students was the way Shin was going to pry his way into her life. His insistence of walking her home, simple, yet it changed so many things about her daily life in the span of a few days. Her thoughts were so different. Ballet, high school, and the future had to make way for a Japanese teenage boy with an undying poker face.

"_This is why_." His gaze had bore into her, stripping her of her pout when she had tried to demand her hat back from him. She had longed so desperately to be pulled into his embrace, wishing for his grasp on her waist like when he had caught her from falling on the train.

Davina quivered in her bed from the thought. She pulled the covers to her eyes almost as though she were afraid of someone seeing her excitement. Not even in the darkness of her room could she fully admit to herself that she had wished for him to be closer, for his hand to graze gently against her cheek, for his arms to be wrapped around her, for her head to lie on his chest so she could take in his scent. Why did that boy smell so good?

Heaving a loud breath to herself, Davina shut her eyes, trying again to sleep. Such desire was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Movies, books, and such depicted sexual desire and romantic want, yet Davina had always thought such things were controllable. When had she lost her rationality? Since when did she care about how a boy smelled? Why had he stroked her hair?! Did he not know what that gesture was doing to her sanity?! Would he even care?!

Davina's heart sunk and she was surprised. What did it matter to her what Shin thought of her?

"_She is beautiful._"

She remembered the pang in her chest when Shin spoke of Fujiyama. His calling her beautiful caught Davina off guard. She wished she had seen his expression when he described Fujiyama sensei. Directly from his tone though, he didn't seem interested. Or at least, she hoped not....

Davina's eyes burned as they opened widely then immediately squinted at the digital clock on her stand. 1:05 in the morning. Why were her thoughts so consumed by this?! Her focus on her clock blurred and slowly her eyes shut. Memories of the sound of his laughter and the severity of his smile fueled the butterflies in her stomach and chest. Why him?

* * *

_This is (a) pen. _

It was plastered as clear as crystal on the wall in the staircase. And the worst part was that it was _correct!_

Headteacher was frantically tapping his foot, his eyes squinted at the chalk. He knew precisely which class was responsible for this marking on the wall. Why wasn't it written there?! Were they mocking him?! Delinquent brats! He could punish them for vandalism and that would eventually lead to expulsion. However, he could already hear the _annoying _chime from Yamaguchi sensei, "_where's the proof?_" Nails on a chalkboard sounded more pleasant than her incessant yapping.

I have a reputation to maintain, he thought about scolding to her. He was working hard to draw in students and he was doing all he could to make Shirokin the best it could be. If the students couldn't respect the school, they didn't have to attend there. If Yamaguchi sensei couldn't respect his will, then she didn't need to teach there.

* * *

Davina sat across from her friends at their usual spot in the lunchroom, swirling her fork in her food while Jayla and Mira spoke animatedly to each other. Davina had originally followed along with their conversation but, like all things lately, she eventually grew unfocused, trying to sort out the butterflies.

"Davina?" Jayla snapped suddenly, causing Davina's hand to shake and fling food across her plate.

"Huh? Yeah?" Davina mumbled, blinking.

Her two friends eyed her strangely. "It's just...your cheeks grew red all of a sudden. Is something up? You've been seeming sort of distant lately...." Mira asked, setting her tray aside to rest her elbow on the table.

Davina smiled sincerely. "Nothing really, just a little overworked."

Mira turned to Jayla, not entirely sure of the truth in Davina's answer, but seeing the logic behind it, she shrugged.

Jayla, however, licked her lips and turned back to Davina. "So...who _was _that yesterday who startled you after school?"

Davina froze, her fork hanging with food spilling back to her plate. She thought they had left that day with the buses. "Oh...that was nobody."

Mira shook her head with a wide grin. "Not true! Both Jayla and I saw you walking to the station with that 'nobody.' And that certain 'nobody' seemed comfortable enough with you to snatch your hat away."

The utensil finally slipped from Davina's grasp. How long had Jayla and Mira been watching? Davina inhaled a calming breath. "Shi—he is just a student from the English class, you remember the tutoring I had mentioned earlier?"

Both girls nodded at Davina, but the smirks hadn't left their faces. The overwhelming embarrassment fluttered in her chest, but she tried with all her might to not let any of her obvious discomfort show.

"Yes, but you didn't tell us you were tutoring students _our _age. You made it sound like you were helping middle schoolers." Mira said.

Davina peered casually away from them, trying to loosen her stiffening body. "What's the difference?"

"Everything!" Jayla yelled excitedly. "He was definitely flirting with you, Davina. I didn't know you went for that type of guy. I had always thought you would go for a more...conventional person. Is that the right word? Conventional?"

Mira shrugged at Jayla's question, then turned to Davina. "Does Davina have a type? You said before you have never dated. Why not?"

Davina pulled her curtain of red hair to her ears and fiddled with her left earring. "Was just never interested in anyone." She was doing her best to stay cool and easily answer their questions. She hoped neither of them had seen her eyes widen at "flirting," while her stomach and chest were riddled with fast butterflies. However, Davina allowed herself to stay rational and think clearly about Shin's intentions. "You, two, are mistaken about him. He was just giving me a hard time."

Abruptly, her two friends' smiles disappeared. Jayla and Mira couldn't believe Davina's ignorance—or perhaps it was just naivete?—about the situation. Hadn't Davina seen the way the boy had smiled at her? After seeing them off, Jayla and Mira were too excited and too happy for their friend. Mira and Jayla, both, had experiences with crushes, liking, and boyfriends. Davina had not.

Both girls watched Davina as she nibbled on the last bits of her food. They were sympathetic, but determined to help guide Davina through this _confusing _experience, whether she liked it or not. For all they knew, nothing might not develop between Davina and this boy, especially if one of the parties involved was clueless.

Mira lazily stood from her seat, yawning and stretching. "It's a nice day out, you two want to spend the rest of lunch outside?"

* * *

By lunchtime, in room 3-C, everyone knew about the little redhead who had been recruited for helping 3-D achieve thirty points.

"Did you get a chance to talk to her?" Asked of the three boys' friends.

Akihito Miyake, one of the three boys, shook his head. "Nah, we barely introduced ourselves without death threats."

Miyake tilted his head to his friend, Kazuo Nakamura, both recalled the utter awkwardness and downright fear from the prior tutoring session. Miyake had soothed his nerves when one 3-D student held him by the elbow in excitement for getting the correct answer. At first, when the student first rose from his seat, Miyake had expected a square hit to the face. But, he had only received gratitude, something he hadn't expected a 3-D student to be capable of.

Nakamura scooped up a chunk of rice into his mouth. In between chews he said, "how they managed to find her is a mystery. _Sa..._"

"What did she look like? Did she look like she belonged to any of them?" A boy with buzzed hair asked in the desk in front of them.

Nakamura placed his hand under his chin. "On the taller side...but that might have been because of her shoes, long _red_ hair, very cute."

"_Sa..._"

"Is she a natural red head?" Said another questioningly, trying not to get too excited.

"Natural as can be." Miyake answered, leaving the student to be unsure if that was really a yes or a no.

"Hey, do you think I can go today?!" The first student asked, waving his hand in the air at Miyake. Meanwhile Tsuchida, who had been pleasantly ignoring them, twisted back to them in his desk, awaiting an answer.

Nakumura, with a half smile, tapped his mouth in playful consideration. "No! Just the three of us!"

"But, don't you have cram school today, Kazu?" Tsuchida chimed in, his voice smooth and soft, yet clearly audible. Nakamura's cheeks puffed as he stared at Tsuchida's indifferent face.

"No...you know I don't do cram school today...." Nakamura uttered faintly, sweating at his own words.

"Nah, Tatsuya's right. You always did have cram school this part of the week." Miyake pointed at his friend puffed cheek.

Nakamura's face grew larger as his puffed cheeks grew fuller. Panning his neck quickly from Tatsuya to Akira, his two friends smirked back at him until he finally deflated his cheeks with a groan. "Well! I'm skipping for Fujiyama! If I go to cram school today, and if I get accepted into Todai and she gets sacked, won't I feel guilty?"

Tatsuya didn't reply and instead focused on finishing his lunch. He didn't care Kazu skipped on the cram school his hard-working parents were paying for, but it would be better if he didn't skip just for some gaijin girl.

"Don't pretend that you weren't also looking at her and that you weren't the least bit excited to introduce yourself yesterday! She smiled at you Tatsuya." Kazu uttered to the back of Tatsuya head. Though he couldn't see it, he knew he was pulling the trigger. "_I...my name is Tsuchida, Tatsuya._"

Tatsuya's chair legs scrapped harshly against the tile floor, causing Kazu's voice to break. Unconsciously, the other boys had stiffened as well, waiting for Tatsuya to turn back to them and yell at them or laugh at them. They could never really tell with him.

As Tatsuya twisted back, his eyes were blank, not necessarily angry, but Kazu knew he had hit a sensitive spot, but he wasn't sure what it meant. Though Kazu was quite book smart, he was never as bright as Tatsuya.

Tatsuya's lips parted and he uttered. "Even if Fujiyama gets sacked, won't you want to use the English skills she has given us to communicate with English speakers?"

The boys' stiff bodies relaxed; they weren't expecting that response. Akihito, or Akira to his friends, broke the ice. "I guess I'll study harder, na?"

This statement was enough to cause a slow flow of chatter between the boys again. Tatsuya, though, stayed out of the conversation and returned to his lunch. He remembered his shaky introduction with Ms. Summons the day before and her smile. Suddenly, criticizing his friend seemed like a mistake. He was deeply bothered by his thoughts: was he a hypocrite?

* * *

"I want to meet him." Mira laughed with Jayla, standing with Davina by the school gate as students exited out to go home.

Davina cringed at the idea, conscious about her recent thoughts of introducing Mira and Jayla to Shin. She didn't want to overwhelm Shin. "No offense, but I don't want to freak him out. I barely know him."

"Oh, are you worried that we're going to _embarrass _you, Davina?!" Jayla nudged her friend.

Davina blinked and adjusted her dance bag over her shoulder. The last thing she wanted to was be misunderstood. "I just think it's too soon. I mean...." Davina didn't know what to say to her smiling friends. Shin and her weren't friends.... She was the class tutor and he was her companion on her walks home. She couldn't know if such a friendship had developed between them until after the midterm.

Her friends' smiles dimmed again. Davina hoped they hadn't taken her words the wrong way. Unbeknown to her, they fully understood. They remembered transferring to ASIJ from their respective homes and having difficulty knowing where they stood pertaining to their relations with individual Japanese people.

As they said somber "goodbyes" to Davina, they wished the best for their friend. That she would get what she wanted from her audition with SAB and her potential friendship from this _guy_.

Davina felt horrible because she couldn't look them in the eye as they left. If it was her way, she would be confident and declare her wish to be friends with Shin herself, and Mira and Jayla would have introduced themselves and charm him and his friends like they had with her.

Guilty restlessness washed over her and she reached into her bag for her cellphone. Her thumb flipped open the mobile. She stared at the menu before slowly closing the phone on her thumb. What would she say to them anyway? That she didn't have the guts to talk to Shin? And that his friendship really mattered to her? Or that she wouldn't know what to do if Shin hadn't wanted her friendship?

"Something wrong?"

Davina shut her eyes to take in a breath of air. She slowly reopened them as she slowly turned around, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ears. Shin's dark eyes glowered down at her, his usually blank face full of concern. Unable to face his gaze, Davina glanced at the ground. Shin peered ahead at the crowds leaving the gates, either entering the bus or down towards the station.

"Those two—are they friends of yours?" Shin asked, still watching the crowds.

"Yes, best friends." She said to his shoes.

Shin didn't know what inside had promoted him to ask, but "do they know about...the tutoring?" Shin had almost been prepared to say, "me," but had restrained, for again, reasons he didn't know.

Davina dared to look at Shin and his black blazer, black pants uniform. "They know about you."

Her saying "you" made him twitch unconsciously and to fight the urge, he paced a few steps ahead of her. He couldn't imagine if what Davina had said about him to them, and he couldn't admit to himself that he was curious. "And?"

Slowly stepping around to face him, he refused to look down at her again. She paused to sigh before answering. "They would like to meet you."

Her saying "you" made him twitch again and not in an entirely unpleasant way. He also couldn't admit that he was a bit flattered. He busied himself by dusting off his sleeves and scratching an itch on the back on his head. His arms quickly dropped his sides and into his blazer pockets. "We're already half way done. Just a few more sessions to go."

They started towards the station. Their positioning was in sync, yet his steps were loose and slow, while hers were fast and coordinated. Davina noticed their differences in rhythm, remembering Jayla's earlier confession that her project type for a man for Davina would be conventional. What did conventional mean? From the way Jayla had said it, she had made it seem like Shin wasn't conventional. Davina could admit that Shin wasn't on her expected list of boys or even type of boys who she expected to seek after. According to her friends, was Shin a shade off from Davina's conventional or completely the opposite?

She slowly panned to her left. Shin's hair was obviously un-brushed, there was dirt under his fingernails, his clothes were un-ironed but not messy. Shin was definitely not dirty but not...clean-cut. Davina meanwhile, had learned from her mother young and hard that she needed to keep up with her appearance. Which meant getting her nails done, her hair always styled, and always wearing a little bit of make-up. Outfit-wise, casual for Davina was considered "nice" for most people. "No daughter of mine is going out in jeans and a t-shirt!" Her mother had yelled at her once. Davina never bothered to argue, thankful for her mother's persistence.

Her parents had tried to set her up with a few of the army kids her age. They were mostly miniature versions of her father, _very _clean-cut. Her mother would often shake her head in confusion, "you're a very attractive girl, Davina. I had many suitors at your age. All of them were very nice, so I don't see why you don't give anyone a chance."

Her father then would usually snipe, "my little girl isn't going out with just _anybody_. I'm more than happy to let her wait, but if she finds someone she likes, I have to like him too. I will decide if he is good enough for my daughter."

A scarier thought than her friends meeting Shin: her parents meeting Shin. Her parents, especially her dad, were more judgmental than they ever wanted to admit. She thought about hinting about their impatience to them, but halted, deciding that was a can of worms she didn't dare open.

Crossing an intersection, Davina fumbled with the charm on her necklace, suddenly spotting Shin's respective accessory. Hand-charm rested on his chest, glowing silver in the sun's rays. Even while walking, Davina leaned in, trying to get a closer look. "Ano..."

Shin hadn't heard her quick mutter over the traffic and Davina's throat closed up, choking her ability to speak. She definitely knew what symbol was hanging around his neck, yet she only knew the English term and the English definition. Crossing her arms against a breeze of cold, Davina bit her lip while staring at her own shoes.

Davina's thwarted attempt to communicate hadn't gone unnoticed by Shin, who was scoping her sudden arm-crossing, lip-biting, and bitter looks away. The wind had picked up, making the cool late Spring temperatures raw and frigid. Believing her sudden motions were that from being cold, Shin without a second thought, shrugged off his blazer and draped it on her shoulders.

The girl gave a slight start when the blazer pressed against her back, feeling Shin's hands through the fabric on her shoulder blades. A wave of warmth came over her and she was instantly grateful. Davina smelled Shin's slight scent and unconsciously hugged the blazer tighter around her.

She was ready to give back the layer to Shin when she saw him with only a simple white shirt as a cover. "Ano..._what about you?_" Davina accidentally uttered in English. Before she could retract her words for translation, Shin responded.

"I don't wear that blazer for warmth." With that, Shin's trademark poker face gazed down at Davina, allowing them both to meet eye to eye. It was the first time Davina had ever read deeper into that blank expression. Blank as far as facial gestures go, but by no means empty. Shin was genuine with a legitimate sense of caring.

Davina didn't mind the dirt under his fingernails, and she didn't mind his bedhead hair. She rather liked how nicely his white button-down shirt was fitted on him. As she weaved her arms through the sleeves and let her long hair down on the blazer, she didn't object to how the blazer practically swallowed her. She could imagine her mother's shrills about wearing a blazer too big for her and covering up a nice outfit.

Davina kept a close eye on Shin to make sure he didn't ever shiver, yet she was secretly glad to see that he wasn't cold. She didn't want to find out if she could willingly give back the blazer. His fists found a home in his pants' pockets and never once when the wind blew did Shin reveal any sense of discomfort.

The sleeves extended past her fingertips and the sides billowed out around her waist, even with her bag strap shaping out her shoulders, chest, and hips. She tried to mask her excitement, trying to maintain an indifferent expression on her face, fighting a smile from pursing at her lips. Admittedly, the butterflies were flurrying inside from every whiff of his scent and every reminder that the cover she was wearing belong to Shin. It was Shin's blazer. And he had given it to her without her asking, without waiting for her to shiver.

"Arigatou, Shin."

"No problem, Davina."

* * *

Headteacher's eyes narrowed on the site. Sawada was violating dress code and a stranger was on his campus. Filing awkwardly down the stairs, he had to put an immediate to stop it.

"Sawada!" Headteacher's voice projected down the hall as Shin and Davina were about to go down the final flight of stairs to 3-D.

Shin made an annoyed grunt as he turned away to face Headteacher. Davina's jaw dropped at the downright tackiness of the man who approached them. Green suit, strange hair style...was this man aware of what decade he was living in?

Shin's eyes never looked directly back at the strange man even as he inched closely to him. "Dress code violation! If you cannot bother to wear all the articles of the specified dress code, then dismiss yourself from the roster!"

Davina rubbed the overflowing edges of Shin's blazer. She hadn't fully understood what the man was sniping about but she got the gist that she would soon need to return Shin's blazer.

The man's attention perked down to Davina, the blaring whites of his eyes made Davina tiptoe back. He seemed to be taking in her features, definitely surprised to see her standing with Shin. Before Headteacher could direct any comments to Davina, Shin stepped in the way between her and him. Shin's unwaveringly firm face was level and inches away from Headteacher's glare.

"Who is that?"

Suddenly, Uchi, Noda, Minami, and Kuma stormed from 3-D and forced themselves into between Headteacher and Shin. All four of them in a line narrowed their sneers and unyielding stances on Headteacher.

Davina could only peek over their shoulders, but the man wasn't at all intimidated by the massive outnumbering between him and boys who could do some damage to him if provoked.

"If you delinquents insist in sticking together then you'll be throw out of school together!" Headteacher roared at the boys.

Uchi face darkened as he inched closer to Headteacher. "What was that?!"

Yankumi, obviously withered, shoved in front of the boys without absorbing what Headteacher was yelling about. "Please, tutoring is about to start and it would be useless to waste precious time."

Headteacher, annoyed, barely acknowledged Yamaguchi sensei's presence. His angry expression was still plastered on his face, trying to stare down the boys. Even with Yankumi as peacekeeper the boys stood firm and unforgiving. Davina's eyes were fixed on the tacky man and her stare was matched when his glance shifted to her. His eyes narrowed once more and a curl on his head fell to his temple.

Blinking frantically, Headteacher smoothed both sides of his head. The distraction to fix his hair was enough to ease the tension in the hall; Headteacher knew he had lost any ability he previously owned to be intimidating.

"_Shitsureshimasu._" Please excuse us. Yankumi simpered with a smug nod of the head. She sighed in relief when Headteacher scurried off down the hall, with his tail in between his legs.

Yankumi clapped her hands and spun on her heel. "Let's start! After school tutoring English exam! Fighto! Oh!" Excitedly, she rustled with Minami's and Noda's hair, but groaned when she realized Noda's hair was coated with sticky styling gel. "Waghh." She rubbed her hand gingerly on her pants before returning to the classroom, followed by Minami, Kuma, Uchi, and Noda.

As Shin turned to head into the room, Davina held him back by his elbow. "Huh?"

Davina dropped her duffel to the tile floor and carefully took off Shin's blazer. Holding the blazer by the collar, her arm extended until Shin grasped the piece of clothing. "Daijoubu." I'm okay.

He was already working his hands through the sleeves. Davina, grabbing her bag, expected Shin to set his fists into his blazer pockets, however, his ringed hand pressed on her head and gently rustled her hair. "Ii yo." It's okay.

Davina caught Shin's blank face. He had spun away too quickly for her to read into his expression, hoping that he hadn't thought that she gave back his blazer because she didn't want its embrace. She rubbed her arms, shivering.

* * *

Among the busy chatter of students studying and tutoring, Tsuchida kept a lingering watchful eye on Davina. In between listening and responding to a 3-D student's questions, Tatsuya involuntarily would sneak a glimpse on the redheaded girl.

Davina seemed chipper today and light as feather. Her enthusiasm, for whatever reason, seemed to diffuse to the 3-D boys and Yamaguchi sensei. Tatsuya saw Yamaguchi sensei share a quick word with Davina and then both of them laughing together. The bothering feeling in his gut nagged him about his words to Kazu. As long as he stayed objective about his curiosity towards Davina, he wouldn't be a hypocrite.

3-D was remarkably approving in their English. Granted the '3SP,' was proving to be very difficult, even by Tatsuya's standards. Both Akira and Kazu found their excuses to ask for a moment of Davina's time to clarify the rules for them.

"Hey? Are you listening?"

Tatsuya, who had been watching Davina help the big blond fellow, had lost concentration on his tutoring. "Oh, you just add an 's' to the verb to make it present tense."

"Are you sure? I thought Yankumi and Dabi—

"Of course I'm sure. 'We live in Tokyo' should be 'we lives in Tokyo.'" Tatsuya marked in the student's book without seeing his pout of uncertainty.

"You're wrong."

The student's pout evaporated into a smirk and Tatsuya stiffened. He recognized the soft voice. Slowly turning, he saw Davina's arm reach out on to the student's desk and take his textbook. Also borrowing his pencil, she erased Tatsuya's markings and rewrote the student's original answer. "Matsudaira-kun was correct. 'We live in Tokyo' is the correct phrasing for making the subject plural. If the subject is plural then you don't need to make the verb plural in this case."

Tatsuya remained silent even as Matsudaira and Davina exchanged snickers and he gave her a wink. Davina chuckled at Matsudaira and gave returned his book.

Upon receiving the book, Matsudaira shrilled, "you have stay and help me, I can't trust his answers anymore."

Davina beamed at Tatsuya as she dropped the pencil back onto Matsudaira's desk. "Trust me, I bet that Tsuchida-kun won't make anymore mistakes." Her hand covered her mouth as she turned away to answer another student's questions, covering another sly smirk.

"I guess I'll study harder." Tatsuya murmured to himself, officially losing subjectivity he had previously owned. It no longer bothered him that he was hypocrite. He simply knew what he wanted when he saw it and what he wanted was another chance to talk with Davina and hopefully not make a fool of himself.

* * *

Yankumi checked her watch and scanned throughout the classroom. More than a few of the students were dosing off, Shin, Davina, and the 3-C students were obviously tiring from running around and answering the never ending list of questions. All smiles, but clearly exhausted, she waved up both arms to gather everyone's attention. She declared dismissal for the day. "Any questions or concerns? Ask now or forever hold your peace!"

A lone hand raised in the center of the classroom.

Yankumi pointed her hand towards the student. "Speak!"

"Could Davina show us her ballet?" Asked the student clear as day.

Immediately, Davina's eyes darted towards Shin, who seemed unmoved by the request but uncertain. Ultimately, he shrugged and Davina nodded to the class. "Are you all sure?"

Davina couldn't imagine teenage boys such as these in the class being incited by ballet. Yet there was a census throughout the class that they were excited to see her perform in the pink slippers she had shown them the first day she had came.

"Show us, Dabina!"

"Yes, _please_!"

Yankumi, seeing the girl's reluctance, stepped in. "Now, now, everyone, it's inappropriate, Dabina-chan is probably tired—

"No, no, sensei. I can show them something." Davina paced towards Yankumi's podium, reaching for her dance bag. How could she argue with please? She was a performer after all. She would be more than happy to give the crowd what it wanted.

She left the room momentarily and as she shut the door, she could hear the sound of desks being moved for space. Dropping her duffel to the ground, Davina examined her clothing. It was a lucky choice that she wore a skirt and leggings. Sitting on the ground, she slowly removed off her flats. She fitted on her toe padding and gently wore her feet into the slippers. Carefully, she tied her ribbons over the leggings and around her ankles, letting the ribbon sit comfortably over the bone.

Instead of doing a full warm up, she did a few releves and stretches in first, third, and fifth until she was satisfied.

She had never realized how loudly the door creaked until she returned to the classroom. The desks had been pushed all the way to the back and everyone either stood with their desk or along the lockers. Davina spotted Shin leaning on his desk, near his friends and Yankumi, who had let her hair down and set her glasses in her chest pocket.

Tatsuya stood with Kazu and Akira in the other corner of the classroom. Ballet had never interested him before, but it was interesting to him to know that Davina was a ballerina.

After inhaling a deep breath, Davina positioned her arms above her, feeling the energy rise from over neck as she leaned back. There was no music, but everyone imagined soft music playing along with Davina's gentle movements. Her floral skirt fluttered and spun with the grace of her legs while her blouse and tights marked every angle she stretched and leaned. Her eyes remained shut yet no one doubted she had total control. She danced in front of them what S.A.B. would see from her. The ease and flow of every twirl, leap, and pointe was awe striking. Everyone knew it was over when she slowly came down from releve, her arms floated down to her sides, and her eyes opened.

Almost as though she were just awoken from a dream, her eyes were glassy and a small smile pursed her lips. No one had moved yet as Davina's eyes panned from Tatsuya's corner to Shin's. Same poker held up by an arm under his chin, but his eyes were attentive.

The butterflies were floating happily in her stomach, glad that Shin had appreciated her dancing. Scanning the room once more, Uchi, Noda, Minami, Kuma, Yankumi, Tsuchida, everyone was attentive and, apparently, speechless.

Taking both ends of her skirt, Davina bowed, causing a soft rustle of clapping in the back of the room.

Rising up, Davina beamed. "Thank you."

* * *

While untying her ribbons, the 3-D boys were complimenting her ability and asking her some last minute questions.

Slouched in his desk, Shin watched as Tsuchida repacked his things as slow as a snail. Shin had seen Tsuchida's secret little glances of interest at Davina. Tsuchida was definitely waiting for the room to clear for him to approach her.

Slowly but surely, the occupancy of the classroom lowered, leaving only Shin, Yankumi, Davina, Uchi, Minami, Noda, Kuma, Akira, Kazu and Tatsuya. Shin simply waited at his desk and ignored his friends planning for after tutoring. The four of them, while still conversing, simultaneously stood from their seats, heading for the backstairs.

Kuma nudged him. "Shin?"

"Hmmm?" Shin turned his neck to his friend, still watching Tsuchida in the full span on his vision.

"Aren't you coming along?"

"I'll pass." Shin curtly answered.

"Suit yourself, man." Minami sighed as the four of them climbed the backstairs and kicked the door open.

Kazu and Akira were also planning. Kazu just complained that he needed to kill another hour so that his parents wouldn't question about his whereabouts and start asking about cram school.

"Are you coming?" Akira asked his friend.

"I have something I need to take care of." Tatsuya replied.

His two friends shrugged, slightly disappointed. Looking over their shoulders at Tatsuya before their departure, they both wondered to themselves about Tatsuya's strange behavior recently.

Now it was only Shin and Tatsuya with Yankumi and Davina. Though the two females in the room were giggling to themselves; Yankumi was expressing her excitement about ballet, meanwhile trying to go on pointe, regardless of how much Davina protested. "No! You'll hurt yourself!" Yankumi held up two arms above her head and twirled on the tips of the tennis shoes. In half spin, she lost her balance, but luckily caught herself before she smacked the tile floor.

The two boys met each others' stares, causing tension to grow between them. Yankumi heaved a sigh of exhaustion, asking to be excused so she could continue working on the study guides _and _grade them. "I'll probably call you a dozen times tonight."

"Ask all you need, sensei." Davina replied.

Yankumi smiled at "sensei." The only people who called her "sensei" were faculty and it was freshening to hear a teenager use that title in regards with respect to her. "Sore ja." Please, excuse me.

Davina yawned as Yankumi disappeared behind the classroom door. She wished she too could go home, just to rest a bit before going to ballet. However, time constraints prevented her from doing that. Twisting around to find Shin, she saw both Shin and Tatsuya in the room, both waiting for something.

Tatsuya bit his lip but decided be brave and take his chance. He straightened from leaning on a desk and walked towards Davina, his footsteps echoing in the empty classroom. Davina was surprised by his approach, occasionally glancing at Shin, feeling nerves gather in her gut. The way that Tsuchida was looking at her was nerve-wracking, completely soft compared to how he usually held himself in front of other people.

Tatsuya stood only a step away from Davina, scratching the back of his head, as if unsure of himself. "Ano...Suminsu-san?"

"Yes?" Davina's voice squeaked and she was immediately glad that the room was mostly empty, but extremely embarrassed that the only other person there was Shin.

Tatsuya inhaled a deep breath, dropped his hand from his head and straightened his posture.

Shin highly debated on just leaving. He couldn't stand to watch this. Biting the inside of his cheek, Shin shoved the back of his chair and stomped up the stairs. Davina, hearing Shin's departure, wanted to go to him, but was preoccupied with Tsuchida.

Shin's raucous went unheard to Tatsuya whose focus was fixed on Davina. "Would it be possible for us to get together for dinner?"

Davina's mouth slid open as her fingers hit against her lips in surprise.

Davina had nothing against the guy, but his request had appeared out of nowhere. Why hadn't she seen it before? She had teased him, yes, but wasn't Tsuchida-san also held to the same deal as everyone else in 3-D? Though, he and his two friends were probably exempt, because they weren't actually taking the exam. The offer was flattering, but Davina wasn't interested in him.

"Tsuchida-san..." She paused when his expression grew tender and sensitive. Guilt boiled within her. Biting her lip, she crossed her arms, thinking hard. _"I had so many suitors at your age. All of them were nice. I don't see why you don't give anyone a chance." _Davina remembered her mother's words. She didn't want to say "no" and allow the next few days to be awkward and she didn't want to embarrass him. But what about Shin? She hadn't given any considerate thought to dating and or going steady. But what about Shin? And it wasn't officially a date...right? It couldn't hurt....

But.... Davina looked at the door in the stairway and Shin's desk. He was gone.

"Sure, dinner would be nice." The words came out before Davina had second thoughts. Her acceptance felt raw and fake on her tongue; her voice sounded so unlike herself. However, that didn't stop Tatsuya's obvious excitement from sneaking into his expression.

"Tomorrow night?"

Davina simpered and shook her head, still feeling forced and uneasy. "Ballet tomorrow."

Tatsuya was hesitant yet didn't argue, remembering the ballet slippers and her dance. "Saturday?"

"Night. Ballet in the afternoon." Davina added bluntly.

Tatsuya wasn't thrilled about having such little input on the set time and date, but he left it at that. "Can I meet you at Hachiko, at five?"

If Davina remembered correctly, Hachiko was the bronze dog statue in Shibuya. "Shibuya, five on Saturday." Now, Davina was frantic to leave, the butterflies rushed in her stomach and chest, almost painfully. "Sore ja." Davina went around Tatsuya, brisking hurriedly to the back stairway.

"Wait—mobile number?" Tatsuya flipped open his phone, preparing to place in a new contact. Davina reached for her own phone, disliking the fact that she was about to give her number away. Through info-red, their information exchanged with a few clicks from both phones. Tatsuya looked pleased. "Sore ja." He gave a slight bow of his head and turned to leave.

"Ja ne." Bye. Davina exhaled deeply when he was out of earshot. Her stomach and chest were still nervous from what she had just planned. As she smugly climbed the stairs, her foot stomped heavily on each step. If it wasn't such a big deal, then why did she feel so uncomfortable?

Opening the door, Davina, much to her relief, saw Shin leaning against the back wall. Even blank, judging by Shin's expression, she knew that he could tell what had just happened. Their eyes met for a few seconds, then he broke away and gulped. "Did he say anything?" Shin asked deeply, staring at the trees.

Davina leaned against the wall with him and looked ahead at the trees. The sky beamed yellow with the sun hidden behind the trees. The wind rustled the leaves, blowing leaves to the tree roots. Birds sang happily to each other, causing Davina to smile. "Nothing important."

She continued to watch the birds and the trees while Shin peered to his right, at Davina. Her hair bounced along with the wind and her smile beautifully glowed. He saw her hands rub her arms as the wind picked up, so he took off his blazer and held it to her chest for her to wear.

Davina was taken back by the gesture again. Reading his expression again; no longer did he seem bothered by Tatsuya's advances, but concerned again and always willing to protect her well being. Touched, she wore the blazer once more. For a brief moment, she had doubted her progress with Shin, almost expecting he had left her to go walk by herself. Yet, he was allowing her to wear his blazer, meaning that Tsuchida didn't matter. What they had was still safe. "Arigatou, Shin."

Shin's ringed hand messed around in her hair once more, causing Davina to chuckle and playfully lean away from his hand. "No problem, Davina."

* * *

A little shorter than the last one, but I am satisfied with this one. Please review, any and all input is appreciated. Also, don't be scared to leave detailed reviews. I can't view email addresses in reviews so I can't email asking for your full opinion on the story, as much as I would love to. And thank you to darkredcrystal for giving me the kick in the butt (motivation) that I needed to finish my draft.


	8. Chapter 8: Jealous Tsuchida

Wow, chapter eight. You all are very generous to ignore my silly grammar mistakes and, yes, I do occasionally reread the chapters on here to fix a few mistakes here and there. Thank you to everyone for all of your reviews, you are all spectacular. Thank you to Cheri, lexi4eva, Freaky_Blaze, and darkredcrystal for your consistent reviews, a writer couldn't ask for more. Oh by the way, darkredcrystal, your messages were quite amusing. "3-C pansy" That made me laugh, thanks for it. No need to be mean to Tatsuya now, now. By the way, if anyone wishes for me to email them with updates on my progress on the chapters, just leave me your email address. Also, just to note, f f . n e t doesn't like it when people leave links in reviews so you will have to put spaces in between the characters. Spam prevention purposes, I suppose.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Eight

* * *

Davina kicked off her shoes, groaning in pain as her feet shook free. Flexing each foot, she mentally reminded herself that she needed to carry a pair of sneakers in her dance bag, as well as buy more gauze tape to wrap around her toes BEFORE the injuries occurred. Limping the entire way home had caused the normally concisely spoken Shin to stare at her legs and repeatedly ask if she were alright. She had caught his watchful concern so she had ground her teeth and smoothed her walk, trying to ignore the agonizing burn in her shoes. Shin worries were derived from slight awe; he had never seen Davina _not _flow in her walk or way of being.

"Are you alright?" Shin had raised his voice roughly.

Davina tried to mask her pain and step normally, regardless of how her shoes cut into the tender patches on her feet. "No problems, just a few cuts from ballet." She had seriously thought of taking off her shoes, but if she stopped walking, the stings would refresh, making the first few steps even more hurtful.

Carefully examining the pink gashes along her skin, Davina heaved an enduring sigh. Her sore arches were unpleasantly tight as she pointed and relaxed her toes. Injury went hand and hand with ballet, something Davina had accepted long before she wanted to go pro. Shin's raised voice had upset her, because she didn't want him to worry about such things. Her parents were exposed to the sprains, strains, and ugly injuries her passion induced her to. Jayla and Mira had their own scraps to deal with, so there was mutual understanding and sympathy. Shin though, Davina imagined, didn't have a real clue.

If her Japanese had been sufficient, he would have at least known that Davina dealt with such injuries on a regular basis. She would have explained that "it was the price to be paid to appear like you're floating across the stage." Maybe not fully understand the pain and bruises attached, many people didn't understand why she continued such a trying sport.

Her door cracked open and her mother peaked head first into her room. "Davina?"

Davina looked up from her feet and stood gingerly, slightly wincing. "Hi, Ma."

Her mother's eyes twitched at the pink slashes on her feet. Crossing her arms, in a manner that Davina recognized as her mother's way of expressing her concern as a mother and yet understanding that with 'no pain' there was 'no gain.'

Davina turned away and moved her bag to the foot of her bed to allow space for her to sit. She could sense her mother's slow steps towards her as she busied herself with trying to fish out her ballet slippers. Her mother's silence told her already what her mother's conversation to entail for her: be more careful!

Her mother moved her bag to the floor and sat down her with her. "Davina," she began in a soothing voice. "I know I sound like a broken record player, but if you push yourself too hard now, you may not feel it now or in ten years, but when you're my age, you'll be so stiff and need so many correctional surgeries to fix every that you are straining now."

Davina fingered the insides of her shoes and the padding for wear and tear. Lucky, she thought humorlessly, no blood.

Her mother slapped her shoes from her hands, her tone now matching the concerned anger within her. "Davina! Please listen, I don't like seeing you hurt now and I don't want to see you hurt in the future." She cupped her daughter's chin so the stubborn girl would pay attention, lowering the volume of her voice, but staying firm. "All I ask is that you take care of yourself. Tape your feet before you wear your shoes and if it hurts, just stop."

Davina sighed, wishing her mother wouldn't fuss over a couple of blisters. "Ma, I have homework I should get to. I'm pretty tired too, so I'll try and go to bed early. I'll have to cut my practice short—"

Her mother dropped her hand from her face and turned her head away as she groaned in slight annoyance. "Don't practice for tonight. Just sleep early."

Davina groaned like her mother. "But, M_a_! I need to stay consistent in my exercises!"

Her mother heaved a defeated sigh. "Oh, Davina, if you don't allow yourself to heal now, why complain about not dancing for a few hours when you could injury yourself from not healing and not dancing nor walking for six months!"

Davina didn't protest, allowing her mother to win this one. She reached over to the desk and pressed down on the switch for her computer until it hummed. Her mother made for the door, brushing some stray hairs from her temple and cheek. Her hand clasped on the knob of the door when she suddenly paused and turned to the daughter again. "Oh, before I forget again the reason why I came, we're going to a dinner tomorrow evening at seven. Your father wants to you go."

Davina's fingers froze over her keyboard, grimacing at her shadowy reflection on her monitor. Tomorrow? She crawled from her bed into her desk chair, rotating her computer to have it continue to face her. "What dinner is going on tomorrow?"

Her mother leaned against the door, her tone matching the same annoyed pitch, showing that it was recent news to her as well. "A new family is coming to the base tomorrow, err—late tonight actually, but the dinner is for welcoming them to the base. Just like the one we attended when we first came here."

Her ill temper associated with their own welcoming dinner only multiplied Davina's lack of desire to go. All she recalled from that dinner were her parents shaking loads of hands and her groggy adjustment to the time difference. A few teenagers had introduced themselves, but she knew she had made a sour impression because she was just so damn tired. She hadn't wanted to appear standoffish, but some irritation transferred into her greeting from her parents shouting at her to dress up and go when all she wanted was to sleep. She had ultimately dosed off in the middle of the ceremony and drowsily remembered her father tucking her into bed in her dress.

Davina's recent schedule was unforgiving, especially with the expected tutoring crunch-time with the midterm just a weekend away. She wasn't really necessary at these functions, being the oddball who didn't want to continue on with the military or something dealing with international affairs like the other kids. "With your background and skills, Davina, you could be very important to U.S. International work." As many of the sergeants often told her, perhaps with the insistence of her father. It was awkward and tiresome to repeat herself that, yes, she just wanted to dance. She was sure they wouldn't dearly miss her if she was absent from one ceremony... "Can I just not go?"

Her mother tilted her head back and forth, halfheartedly considering. "Dad wants you to be there."

All hope of skipping the ceremony drained from Davina. Crushed, she was already trying to calculate fitting in the ceremony and preparation; she predicted another rushed day. She respired softly, too mentally worn out from a mad week of rushing and fitting in errands. And what the hell was she going to wear to this thing? "Is dad home yet?"

"He called and said he would be later than usual in preparation for this family's arrival."

Her mother's answer further weakened Davina's will to ask her father to miss the ceremony. Seeing no way out, she glanced to her wardrobe, wearing a thoughtful expression. Skirt or dress?

Her mother quietly weeded away from her daughter's room, knowing that silence meant her daughter was mentally sorting out an outfit for the ceremony.

Just as the door shut, Davina's cell phone tittered in her dance bag. Nearly falling off her out seat reaching for the bag, she managed to pull the duffel closer and find her phone. Flipping up the receiver, she smiled at the caller ID.

"Moshi, moshi, Yankumi-sensei..."

* * *

Shin tossed his blazer into his chair and lay onto his bed in swift motion, shutting his eyes before he hit the mattress.

His biting curiosity was never uttered during his walk to the army base with Davina; he had been more worried about getting her home without hurting herself.

Though Yankumi had called him a genius a few times, he was no rocket scientist, but he knew merely by experience what had occurred between Tsuchida and Davina. He had seen his friends lay their hearts on the line and he had been through it himself: asking out a girl for time alone between them. He had also seen the girl right after she rejected their invitations, her face would usually munch up with harshness and often disgust, and on rare occasions, guilt. He could not find guilt nor that fueled bleakness in Davina when she met him outside. He didn't need to ask her anything, but was pondering why he hadn't noticed Tsuchida's now obvious plan to be near her?

Shin had spotted Tsuchida becoming engrossed by her during the tutoring session. She had teased him, playfully, and perhaps seeing her dance ballet had sealed his interest in her. Shin had been too slow in his calculations and now Tsuchida was in the midst of things.

Tsuchida wasn't a bad person, his choice in friends left much to be desired. Miyake and Nakamura were slower than Tsuchida, but even they were shady.

Shin's memory flashed the image of Davina in Roppongi, ducking her head, trying to make herself as small as possible. Yankumi, 3-D, and those from 3-C knew Davina as the steadfast girl with undeniable talent and the glowing smile. Shin had met her as the nervous girl with shivery hands and tear-stained cheeks.

His responsibility to keep her safe that night was still intact while her commitment to completing her favor to Shin was still not relinquished yet. Shin had admitted to himself when the tutoring first began that even if she decided after the exams that she was done associating with him, he never could leave her with the slightest bit of doubt that she wasn't alright. And as long as she held relations to Tsuchida, that doubt burned within him.

Shin would keep his cool though. It was still too early to act, but he would keep an open watch on Tsuchida and his friends.

* * *

Tsuchida brisked into 3-C, the same as he always did. However, that day, his classmates peered at him strangely as he walked in and somehow, he knew that all of them knew. Akira and Kazu eyed him with uncertain expressions, muttering quick words to each other before he was in audible distance. Tatsuya bent into his desk and removed his shoulder bag, preparing himself for their questions.

He heard soft murmuring behind his left ear and didn't bother to focus, knowing by instinct that he was the topic of the whispers that were circulating the room. He simply ignored them; he was in no shape or form ashamed of his actions. He sensed their eyes prying at the back of his head and regardless of how collected and indifferent he wanted to appear, the back of his neck grew cold.

Tatsuya heard two chairs scrap back and his spine twitched. A pair of footsteps slowly surrounded his back until it was far beyond of the point of him being able to pretend to be ignoring them.

He turned around in his chair and was faced by Akira and Kazu. They stood casually, but with tight lips. Tatsuya read the shadows under their eyes and braced himself with an intake of breath.

"Tatsuya," Kazu shrugged his fists into his pocket. "Akira and I just want..." He gingerly scratched the back of his neck. "...to let you know that no matter what 3-D says or does to you, we've got your back."

The seriousness of Kazu's and Akira's face faded away instantly when Tatsuya's exhaled his earlier intake of breath, realizing he had been holding it in. Tatsuya laughed at himself, suddenly surprised by the quick pace of his heart.

His two friends chuckled at their friend's obvious release in worry. Didn't Tatsuya know them long enough to know that they wouldn't be angry with him about such things?

"So...she said 'yes?' I bet that's nice." Akira mused, setting his arms behind his neck.

"Why did you do it? She seems a little uptight. Plus she doesn't speak Japanese, I mean, she does...but then, why don't you date a Japanese girl?" Kazu pounded Tatsuya with his questions, almost thinking out loud.

"Is it dating? I just want to talk with her, is all." Tatsuya muttered innocently, not caring if his friends believe him or not.

"Haruki wants to be introduced." Akira added. Kazu groaned uncomfortably.

Tatsuya cocked an eyebrow and leaned back into his seat, silent. Akira shrugged at his friends, all three of them were mutually aware of their other friend's antics and intentions. "Well, he can wait. I've barely been introduced." He said, with nodding approval from Akira and Kazu.

Akira and Kazu met each other's glances, far too perfectly in sync for Tatsuya to disregard. "Spit it out." Tatsuya demanded.

Kazu licked his lips and inhaled a deep breath. Obviously troubled at finding the right words, he slanted at Akira, almost hoping that Akira would answer instead, however he shook his head, making Kazu inhale another deep breath. "A rumor is swirling around that she belongs to Sawada."

Before Tatsuya could facially respond, Akira continued Kazu's thought. "Unofficially—in the very least. He's considered to be the underlying reason why no one in 3-D has attempted for a date yet."

Tatsuya wasn't fazed by this information. "It might seem like it, but they're just friends right?"

"The suspicious bit is that no one knows how they know each other. Apparently, Sawada's best friends didn't know about her either, until the tutoring started."

Tatsuya agreed, that was a tad suspicious. He had never seen them off campus together, yet whenever on campus, they were never separated. Shin would escort her to 3-D and escort her out. Where did it go from there? Tatsuya rubbed and fidgeted with his collar in the trademark way that his friends recognized that he was still trying to appear calm and cool, yet he was getting nervous.

"Well—" Tatsuya began sternly, also consistent with his trademark collar adjustment. "If something, more intense than friendship, develops between Dabina-chan and me, I will simply address Sawada about his..._closeness_ with her."

Even though Tatsuya was firm and satisfied with his plan, his two friends were pale with unease. Both were silent for a few moments, while all three of them were recalling Sawada's reputation, the silent respect he had earned for hitting a _teacher_. Upon looking at him, one wouldn't think that he would or could care about anything. And damn it, his friends. That herd that Sawada was always surrounded by. Academically, they were slow, but they were quick to throw a punch. If Tatsuya dared told Sawada to back off, if Sawada didn't retaliate, his friends definitely would.

Scratching his head, Kazu stared at the ground to avoid Tatsuya's eyes. "You're pretty brave, na?"

Akira merely shrugged and shoved his fists into his blazer pocket. "She wouldn't be worth it to me, if I had to deal with..._that_."

Just then, Kobayshi-sensei, their semi-teacher could be seen rambling from down the hall, briefcase in hand, and giving signal for Akira and Kazu to return to their desks.

It was English class and Friday morning, the day before he was to see Davina alone. Just him and her. Kobayashi-sensei was reciting his notes and rephrasing them into the chalkboard, but Tatsuya, even jotting down the notes, was too distracted to focus on what he was writing.

Pondering the situation by himself, Tatsuya relaxed at the fact that, yes, Davina had said, "yes." That was more important than any worries he or anyone had about Sawada. If Davina had wanted something romantic towards Sawada, she would have said "no." Plus, if Sawada wanted Davina all to himself, why would he bring her to a classroom filled with desperate men? No suitor in his right-mind would encourage more competition.

Then again, that blank look, from the day before. Tatsuya hadn't exchanged words with Sawada, yet that short moment said more than what words could ever behold. He was judging him.

Tatsuya dropped his pen and stared off into the corner, kicking himself for not realizing this before. Was Sawada planning something?

Tatsuya shook his head. He lifted his chin and returned his focus on the chalkboard. There was no way he was going to let this worry himself. If Sawada cared...or if Davina cared...he would have been observant enough to back away. But she had said "yes." That "yes" was for him. Not Sawada. A smile tugged at his lips. It wasn't Tatsuya's job to 'back off,' at this point and time, it was up to Sawada to step down.

* * *

Sawada moseyed on into 3-D from the back door. His early morning 'hellos' were reduced to the slightest of nudges of his head as his four friends turned their heads, more somber than usual. Resting into his seat, hands holding his chin, the sly glances from his classmates confirmed Shin's prediction that, yes, 3-D knew that Tsuchida had asked Davina out.

"Hey, what's up?" Noda broke the awkward ice between the four of them and Shin.

Shin hardly moved and he barely responded, just the simple, "hmm." Uchi, Minami, Noda, and Kuma all wheezed as they looked at each other, wondering why he was so stoic. Leaning in closer subconsciously, they expected Shin to never let them see him sweat over anything.

Minami, sitting on his desk with his elbows at his knees, peered down at Shin. "Oi, Shin...you..._know _right?"

Shin's droopy eyes met his. Judging by his friend's the impatient drumming of their fingers on their fingers and strangely cautious care for a subject they would normally protrude into, especially with Shin, he read that they were unsure of how to think of the situation without his views or objections. "I was there yesterday."

With a loud bang of his fist, Kuma angrily scolded Shin. "Nah, why didn't you stop him or say anything to him?"

Shin merely raised his eyebrows, unperturbed by the loud noise.

"This breaks the rules! No one was supposed to approach her until _after _the midterms!" Minami whooped.

Uchi shook his head. "Anyone with half a brain and two eyes saw that Dabina-chan belongs to Shin."

"She doesn't belong to me." Shin uttered curtly and sharply through his fingers, audible even over his friend's shouts. Kuma, Uchi, Minami, Noda all turned back to Shin upon hearing his statement, trying to see any twinge that Shin was bothered. Eventually, they silently bowed their heads in thought.

Remembering that second day of Yankumi's tutoring, when Shin introduced Davina to the class. There was an obvious language barrier, but they had certain flair with each other. Every one in 3-D had since the day, made flirtatious advances with her, but to no real avail. They simply enjoyed teasing her to make her smile and blush, and partially to draw a reaction from Shin, also to no avail. Since she first timidly walked in, they all knew their chances with her were zero.

Shin and Davina didn't make sense to 3-D in the beginning, but they gradually accepted that such things weren't meant to follow rules or make sense. They just were. Watching them stroll together with their one umbrella, in the rain, landed them at that same conclusion. With Uchi, Kuma, Minami, and Noda, any girl that they truly cared for and wished to be close to, induced such nerves in their stomachs that they could hardly stand to be next to the girl to even ask for her name. Any other pretty girl, the four of them would eagerly lust after, but those _other _girls, those few and far in between, were almost unattainable, simply because they were too shy.

Shin, in their experiences the last few years with him, was never one to openly lust after a girl, but...deep down, they thought that surely if he found someone he would pursue her.

Slowly and mutually lifting their heads, the four friends peered amongst each other and silently agreed that they would not allow for Shin to lose. Scaring and or beating up Tsuchida, unfortunately, wouldn't paint a lovely picture of them nor of Shin. Plus, Davina might think that Shin put them up to it, which is ridiculous because they could clearly think for themselves and for their friend... No, they would have to _wait _and _see_ what develops from this little date. Gah, why did they have to wait?

* * *

Jayla and Mira leaned in from the opposite side of their table, gawking at Davina. _Wait_, what do you _mean _that you going on a date with a guy who isn't the one who walks you from school?

"For the last time! It's NOT a date!" Davina threw up her hands in desperation, fitting her shriek to make her friends actually listen to her instead of spitting out about why and what was wrong with her saying "yes."

"Do you even like him, Davina?" Jayla rolled her eyes, frustrated.

"Why does it matter if I do or not? It's not a date—

"Oh, don't be dumb! You replied "yes" for a reason, Jayla and I are extremely curious as to what the heck that reason is?" Mira exclaimed.

Davina grudgingly followed the insistence of her friends and reflected on her decision. She knew then when she agreed to his offer that she hadn't been interested in Tatsuya. She had turned people down before and had been able to endure the slight guilt, yet perhaps the reason she said "yes" was due to the fact that Tatsuya's tender expression was painful to see. Truthfully, she had said "yes" before she had a reason to agree.

"Weren't the two of you yesterday saying that 'I don't have a type?'" Davina said, matter-of-fact.

Jayla's eyes widened and her mouth opened to utter a reply, but paused and inhaled a breath of air to slow down the rush of words. "Davina, please tell me that you agreed to go out with this guy because you like him? Or have some interest in him?"

Davina couldn't stand to look at Jayla's serious expression nor at Mira's genuinely concerned face. Ducking her head to stare at her fork spinning in her hand, she whispered her reply, "it's not a date."

"Oh, Davina. Can't you see that...what's his name, might think that it is a date?" Mira shook her friend's arm for her to look up. "You've never been...you know...hasty like this."

"You do tend to over-think things, Davina." Jayla agreed, nodding her head at Mira's statement.

Davina leaned outwards of the table, reading both her friend's expression to determine if they really were being serious. "I can make decisions!" She cried.

"After _tons_ of hours spent thinking. You ponder through all the options, which is good in some circumstances. And you can be stubborn if you don't have the answers you want...but the point is that you made a sudden decision, on the spot. It's just unheard of, is all." Jayla added.

"If you go through with it, we'll support you. We just hope our teasing yesterday didn't push you into anything. We're sorry if it did." Mira apologized.

Davina considered Mira's apology. Had their teasing been a subconscious part of the reason why she agreed? She wouldn't blame them, though. She had forgotten to consider Mira's other statement that Tatsuya might think of it as a date. If she correctly recalled that near look of hurt when she almost rejected him, then yes, that ship had already set sail. However, her demeanor wouldn't expand beyond the 'non-date' she had mentally agreed to. To be honest, she expected Tatsuya to get bored of her outside the classroom and that would be the end of it. He was probably doing it as part of a bet or just to say that he went out with a "gaijin-girl."

"What does that other one think about it?" Jayla asked.

"Hmm? Other one?" Was Jayla referring to Shin? Davina assumed so, his blank face flashed quickly in her head. "He doesn't seem to mind." She stated simply.

Davina went back to her lunch, not watching as Jayla and Mira winked at each other.

"And you said that this boy asked you out of nowhere? As in you didn't notice his interests in you?" Mira asked, her smile totally unseen by Davina.

"It was strange," Davina uttered to her lunch, trying to scoop up some food on her fork. " I didn't see it coming at all."

To this, Jayla shook her head to Mira, causing her to control a fit of giggles. Poor Davina, they both wanted to say out loud. She _really_ didn't have a clue. They were sincerely happy for Davina, if she found someone that she would enjoy then so be it. But they wished she would let them in a little more, then maybe they could be of more help. Either way, helping Davina not be so naïve about these boys was going to be more difficult than they first expected. If only they had taken a photo of him smiling at her...but even then Davina would counter to the tune of_ "he was just giving me a hard time, blah blah."_ In order to make this work, Mira and Jayla were determined to show Davina what chemistry they had seen between this other boy and her, and they would have to make it seem like she discovered it herself.

"I have to go shopping, though." Davina continued on with a new topic, snapping Jayla and Mira off their train of thought.

"I haven't been in a while and I think I need it for something different in between non-stop tutoring, school, and ballet practice." Davina uttered. "You two want to take me to Shibuya and Takeshita-dori?"

Mira and Jayla took a second to take it in and smiled at Davina. There you go, that's the Davina we know and love, they thought to themselves.

"Tonight?" Jayla suggested, already finding time after her ballet lesson.

Davina almost said "yes," but groaned. "Military welcome dinner tonight for some new family. I almost forgot. But tomorrow afternoon, after ballet, but before...you know?"

So that's why she wanted so go shopping, Mira giggled. "You wanna find something _cute _for tomorrow?

Davina's cheeks flushed, conceiving what Mira and Jayla were concluding as preparation for her...whatchamacallit. "I just want to shop, I want something cute in my closet for a special occasion."

"But the dinner is tonight, and your date is tomorrow. What occasion are you waiting for?" Jayla said, accusingly.

A flash memory of Shin's hand in her hair and the darkness of his eyes sent shivers down her spine. She hadn't fully conceded yet that deep down she was gunning for Shin to make the highest score on the English midterm. Then maybe they could have a...whatchamacallit. Fading back into reality, her two friends were still wearing suspicious faces and were close to calling her out, so Davina answered. "I don't know yet."

* * *

Tatsuya entered 3-D with Akira and Kazuo the moment the final bell dismissed the school for the day. Most of the 3-D boys were already fishing out their textbooks, less than enthusiastic to be spending another afternoon in tutoring. Perhaps within the last week, they all had spent more time studying than...ever?

Tatsuya's eyes darted to the end of the classroom. In between the moving bodies of those going to and from their lockers, Sawada was nowhere to be found. Tatsuya's stomach tinged with jealously at the empty desk. Intelligent guesses said that Sawada was walking Davina to Shirokin. He imagined it; her smiling at him. That judging face Sawada had given Tatsuya blared in his mind and slowly began to ruin his calm composure.

He bit the inside of his cheek and fidgeted with restlessness with his focus fixed on Sawada's empty seat. Setting his bag down, he flicked the wrist of his blazer up his arm to check his watch. It was just after school and if she had just been let out... Tatsuya continued to fidget and it wasn't until he finally sat down in an idle chair did he realize the widespread glares that were produced when he entered the classroom.

The afternoon sun heavily cast down through the windows, spreading shadows across the boys' frowns. Akira and Kazuo stood closer, to create a fence near Tatsuya, no matter how small their numbers were to the rest of the class, panning their vision from left to right. The usual raucous was not even half the usual volume, merely whispers and shifty eyes. Next Sawada's desk sat his four friends—Tatsuya didn't recall nor care about their names, but of their vicious gloats, the darkness of their faces, Tatsuya couldn't bear to look away, mesmerized.

Akira and Kazuo flicked off some sweat from their temples, mouthing their calculations of the three of them versus 3-D and how long it would take before Yamaguchi-sensei came and broke it up.

Finally, Tatsuya tore his eyes away from theirs to read his watch again. Only two minutes had passed. Two painfully long minutes.

A hand patted his shoulder and Kazuo declared to him and Akira, "for Fujiyama." Akira gulped and nodded his head, seemingly relieved as if brought back down to Earth.

"For Fujiyama." Tatsuya muttered, feeling a pair of eyes beating into his back. He turned his neck and saw one of Sawada's friends his eyes like daggers. His hair was spiky, short, lighter brown, and he wore a colorful scarf. He was chewing on his thumb nail nervously when Tatsuya first turned, but he abruptly moved his hand away and swallowed as he flipped open his now ragged textbook to study.

Tatsuya suddenly heard his surname whispered amongst the murmurs in the room. Urged to say something, he was rising to his feet, when Yamaguchi-sensei, wearing a garish orange tracksuit, shuffled into the classroom, hidden behind a tall stack of new study guides.

Peaking over the guides, her eyes sparkled when she saw the 3-C boys. How nice of them to spend their Friday afternoon to help out? "Afternoon, everyone."

Silence... Strange. Yankumi set down her study guides next to her podium, scanning the tired faces of her students. She was right there with them, but she couldn't show the same exhaustion. Her spirits had to stay high, but she was unmistakably glad it was Friday. As she distributed the study guides, she peered to the back of the room, at Shin's empty desk. She checked her watch after she passed out the final stack. She hoped Shin and Davina could arrive soon, because the English lesson she was about to teach had puzzled her when she first "learned" it in high school. Auxiliary verbs and more articles. She never could really make sense of whether to use 'to' or 'for?' Davina would know from natural instinct.

Even though Yankumi would usually spot Shin leaving early to go walk Davina over to Shirokin, which she thought was quite _nice _of him, she expected a window of five to fifteen minutes for them to arrive. By then, she had always already started the lesson. Enough to not keep the boys waiting and yet basic enough information for Yankumi to recite from the book and still wait for Davina to arrive and chime in to correct any mistakes.

Flipping open her teacher's book, she eyes rested on Noda. His determination was inspiring and his enthusiasm was undying—was it love? Yankumi smiled to herself, hiding her joy behind her book and faced away from her students as she wrote on the chalkboard. "Turn to lesson 9." She heard slight yawns and the flipping of book spines.

"Deciding between 'to' and 'for' depends on who is the beneficiary—

The back door clicked open and Yankumi recognized two pairs of soft footsteps skipping down the stairs. Tatsuya nearly jerked out of his seat to look behind. Yankumi and Tatsuya sighed in mutual relief. Sawada and Davina had arrived.

Eventually, all of the 3-D boys twisted back for a glance, then returned their attention back to Yankumi.  
Tatsuya sighed once more. Simply seeing them together made him feel silly for even allowing himself to get hyper over a few rumors. Their association with each other was no big deal, even if no one knew actually how they knew each other.

Just as Tatsuya was turning away, satisfied, something caught his attention. Slowly, his eyes drifted back. Davina was covered with a blazer much too large for her. The length went past her hips and the sleeves extended over her fingertips. What made his stomach clench was when she slowly removed the garment and returned it to Sawada with care. He whispered something to her, perhaps refusing, but she gestured a strange hair style over head—Headteacher? Blankly, Sawada took the blazer and wore his arms through the sleeves. Very faintly, maybe Tatsuya only imagined it, but Sawada smirked as Davina walked past him to the front of the class to get a study guide for herself.

Tatsuya's insides burned. Sawada had had _at least _half an hour with Davina, what had he talked about with her? Davina was now rubbing her arms, obviously missing the blazer. Tatsuya twitched his leg restlessly, hardly hearing Yankumi.

Davina was reading through the pages, mouthing the English examples, as she always did, Tatsuya thought bitterly. Suddenly, she glanced off the page and met his gaze on the left side of the classroom. Tatsuya froze, wondering if to smile at her, nod his head, give a slight wave, _something! _Her breathing seemed quicker and she gave him a brief acknowledging smile.

No matter how brief of an expression, Tatsuya's chest pattered happily. That smile, again, no matter how brief, was for him. Not Sawada. Only him.

His vision finally magnified and Yankumi's words were clear once more.

"Dabina-chan?" Yankumi put down her chalk.

Davina's head jerked up from the study guide, "yes, sensei?"

"Could you give us an English example not from the textbook, please?" Yankumi back away from the board, moving to give Davina space. Davina didn't respond with a "yes" but quickly went to work on the board, jotting down a few easy sentences.

"It is good _ you_take photographs. Jon gave a present _ Becky. Jon bought a present _ Becky." She recited as she wrote. Dusting the chalk off her hands, she turned around to see most of the classroom scratching their heads, mutters of "do you understand this?" spread throughout the room.

"Anyone wish to try?" Yankumi asked, arms crossed. However, most of everyone in the classroom shied behind their textbooks, wishing not to be called on. "Anyone?"

His book still folded in his hand, Noda raised his free arm. "It...is...good,"— he hesitated, licking his lips, he set down his textbook and stood to his feet. "It is good _for_ you _to _take photographs."

"Correct?" Yankumi titled towards Davina, to which Davina smiled and nodded.

"Correct." Davina said, also now crossing her arms, exhaling in excited relief. Noda's determination was paying off.

Noda relaxed a bit, gaining a bit of confidence from his successful attempt. Licking his lips once more, "Jon gave a present _to _Becky."

"Correct." Davina repeated, thrilled by Noda's confidence. Everyone in 3-D was captivated by Noda, the first clear indication that 3-D had a good shot to all achieve thirty points on the midterm.

After a moment of consideration, Noda whirled around and pointed his finger at the final example. "For!"

"Correct." Yankumi grinned.

The class whooped, patting Noda on the back, while he modestly turned down their praises, bowing his head and raising his arms to say _no big deal_. He could hardly fight a smile from being plastered on his face, though. Yankumi was beaming, Davina noticed, understanding why Yankumi had become a teacher. Such a proud moment it was to see someone improve!

Davina added to her notes, writing next to Noda's name that she predicted that he would absolutely surpass the thirty points needed. Slightly tilting in her chair, Davina met eyes with the bored Shin, who had previously been staring off at the windows and lockers. Contrary to what Shin had admitted to her, Davina hadn't spotted anyone she would suspect to be Fujiyama-sensei and she had kept close watch on the windows to the halls.

_"She is beautiful."_ Shin's words rang in her head, sparking that annoying curiosity that had been secretly hiding within her. Since Shin's recitation of the events leading up to the tutoring, Davina hadn't mentioned Fujiyama, but had never stopped imagining what she looked like. Curvy, tall, red hair... A woman with such features painted in her mind...someone who Shin would think is beautiful...did that mean that Shin liked redheads?

Davina's hand slapped over her mouth in involuntary reaction to the thought, instantly as though she were worried she had spoken it out loud. Her cheeks burned as she peeked to the back of the room in between her fringe. Shin peered back at her strangely, but then his lips curved, obviously amused. His smirk was soon covered up by his fingers, with his palm supporting his chin.

Luckily, most of the sound of Davina slapping her mouth had been masked by Yankumi's projecting voice, but she still saw others glance at her awkwardly so she brushed and curtained her fringe away from her forehead, which had gotten on her face when she startled herself. She played off pretending to be only fixing her hair and seemingly everyone bought it.

Except that one pair of dark eyes from the back of the room, who still smirked behind his fingers. Davina watched him closely, his stare hadn't moved from her for a reason. Shin's hand brushed through his fringe and waved them off to the side in the exactly fashion Davina had done.

Bastard. If only thirty boys hadn't been facing her at that moment. Otherwise, she would be giving him _such _a dirty glare. Regardless of her restrain, a pout formed on her lips. Shin breathed out a soft laugh, but managed to get the attention of his four friends who peeked over their shoulders. Shin's poker face was gone and was flush from amusement. They slowly panned in the direction of his amusement and found Davina, whose expression was lost between a pout and a smile.

How remarkable? Even at opposite ends of the classroom and with Tsuchida in that same room. Minami, Uchi, Kuma, and Noda grinned. How cute?

On the opposite side of the room, Tatsuya was blood was coiling. Such subtle movements between the two of them, so subtle he had almost missed it, but he could barely fight the jealously within. He shut his eyes in order to face away, but still couldn't get Davina's smile out of his mind. He gripped the edge of his chair, his knuckles turning white. He would stay composed, he demanded himself. After tutoring, today, something had to be done. He needed to get closer in and remove any and all competition.

* * *

Had it always been this subtle, yet obvious? It wasn't until Yankumi dismissed them for the day that Tatsuya finally let go his of chair. Flexing his rigid hand, he hadn't realized he had been clenching his chair that tightly. The entire time, he imagined little excuses to stand up and move towards Davina, yet she was all over the place and never stayed put for more than one minute. Sawada never got near her, Tatsuya relaxed with that bit of relief. But what happened or what didn't happen in the classroom didn't necessarily matter as much as what happened when they were alone, walking home.

Thankfully, most of 3-D cleared out almost instantaneously, with high anticipation for their well-earned weekend. Akira and Kazu stayed behind for a moment, already registering that Tatsuya would probably want to speak with Davina. "Call us later." Akira said to Tatsuya before he and Kazu slipped through with the 3-D crowd to the exit.

Tatsuya watched as Davina exchanged notes with Yamaguchi-sensei, as she always did after tutoring.

"I'm so sorry if I called you at a late hour!" Yankumi slapped her two hands together in front of her chest, with her head slightly bowed.

"No problem at all. It wasn't late. And you have already apologized... profusely." Davina shook her head.

She giggled as Yankumi uttered more apologies _for being such a burden_. "No, but I really am sorry, I asked everyone in the house before calling, I'm sorry, I read through the chapter in the teacher's manual _so many times_, so I just wanted to make sure you knew I was sorry."

Davina glanced at the clutter of notes, study guides, the massive stack of books on the teacher's desk. So much work to teach a subject that wasn't even hers. Yankumi must really care for her students. Davina had had many teachers in her life, moving from school to school, yet only a hand full had similar determination and drive as Yankumi. Always dressed in a tracksuit, the teacher was always prepared for the antics of her students, even if it meant wearing casual wear instead of respectful formal wear. Davina originally thought Yankumi as a bit dorky, but she had won Davina's respect on that first day of tutoring, when she rustled with Noda's hair lovingly, when she demonstrated her undying patience with her students, and when she started yelling at them in that strange, angry dialect. Davina softly laughed to herself, recalling that particular moment.

Yankumi readjusted her bi-spectacles and caught Davina's thoughtful expression and quiet laugh. Davina wanted to openly phrase her appreciation and respect for Yankumi, but the wording would have been complex in Japanese.

"Arigatou, sensei." Davina said surely.

Yankumi stared back at her, her head slightly tilted. But eventually she smiled and nodded her head, giving Davina enough reassurance that she comprehended the underlying meaning of her statement.

Yankumi had finished packing her things, taking in how, once again, Davina was left to be alone with Sawada _and _Tsuchida. Even with her lack of experience in..._that _department, Yankumi could sense the tension and opposition by instinct. She had lived with mostly men all her life, after all. She could point that the competitive desire anywhere and anytime. She at least trusted Sawada not to fight, unless for good reason, but she didn't know about Tsuchida, or Davina.

All three pairs of eyes were focused on her, as if willing her out of the room. Yankumi was reluctant to leave, pausing in her footing, knowing it was irresponsible. To allow something to potentially develop or stay and only delay it? Her hand circled around the knob of the door, biting her lip. The door opened before she had fully decided, but she consoled to stay in near proximity. Just in case...

Sawada was picking at his nails, without a care in the world, Tatsuya scrutinized. It was just the three of them now.

Davina tended to her materials, her own breathing and the zipping of her bag piercingly loud in the classroom. Usually, 3-D would be so talkative, she could hardly think, yet her own footsteps were echoing as she turned around to face Shin and Tatsuya. What was Tatsuya still doing in the classroom? Did he have a few comments or concerns for their...thing on Saturday?

"How are you, Tatsuya?" She asked, still standing near Yankumi's podium as if on neutral ground.

"Just fine, thank you." He answered. He sneaked a glance at Sawada then at Davina. "Shouldn't we go home?"

Even Shin lifted his head at that question. Suddenly it dawned on Davina: Tatsuya wanted to walk with her...

She gulped, searching for a good flow of words...but say what exactly? Technically, since he was supposed to take her out tomorrow, wasn't it protocol? Davina bit her lip, trying to form a sentence in her head.

"Sure, let's get going." Shin said for her, rising to his feet. She was surprised at Shin's speedy reply, almost as if he didn't care. Tatsuya frowned at the floor, muttering in agreement, straightening to his feet.

Now with both of them standing, Davina was frozen in her spot. Now both of them were vying for her leave with them. She had no choice. She gulped again before brisking down the aisle of desks, hoping to meet glances at Shin, however he was turned in the other direction as she passed him.

Behind her, Tatsuya glowered at Shin, their faces panning with each other as they crossed paths. Shin's poker face was steady, but enough so that Tatsuya figured it to be a match to his glare.

As the door shut behind Davina, she turned back, expecting either Shin or Tatsuya to walk through with the other following. Davina bit her lip and looked away as the door opened, also crossing her arms almost as though to fight the excitement and nerves circulating in her blood.

I can't believe this is happening, Davina mentally yelled to herself as she gazed up to her left at Shin then to her right at Tatsuya. She strolled in between them, wondering if the two of them were just too cool and proud to admit to the obvious awkwardness that was flowing between the three of them.

All the way to the entrance of Shirokin, Davina concealed glances at both Shin and Tatsuya for any evidence that she hadn't merely imagined the tension. Tatsuya would probably figure Shin to be the third wheel while it was vice versa for Shin. She had walked with Shin's friends and Yankumi only a few days ago and didn't remember feeling so uneasy being a crowd.

Her destination was Shinjuku for her Friday ballet lesson. She looked up at Tatsuya, wondering if he too would walk her home after her lesson, just like how Shin always did.

With dozens of ideas bouncing in her head, Davina continuously rubbed her arms to channel out the excitement building with her. Shin must have dubbed this as a sign of cold so he slipped off his blazer and draped it on her shoulders.

Davina's shoulders tensed up when the fabric touched her back. Oh, just Shin's blazer. She muttered a quick courtesy thank you. Why was she so jumpy?

Tatsuya grimaced at the grass, pining if whether or not to follow his urge to throw Sawada's blazer back at him and give Davina his instead. It would be too crude, he ultimately decided. "If Davina is cold, she can have mine."

Davina's ears piped up. "Hmm?" She was internally begging that she had misheard...

"If Davina is cold, she may have _my _blazer." Tatsuya then carefully removed his own blazer and held it out for Davina to take. Davina stared at the blazer and Tatsuya's hand, unconsciously clenching Shin's blazer. In the corner of her eye, she looked to see if Shin was at all offended. His poker face was going strange, but he was gazing down at Davina, trying to determine which blazer she would choose.

Davian didn't have much time to decide. Surrendering to the pressure, Davina nonchalantly shrugged off Shin's blazer and wore her arms through Tatsuya's. She held out her hand for Shin to take back his blazer, her head slightly bowed to hide her disappointment.

Tatsuya didn't bother to read Shin's face, still same old poker face, yet he could barely contain his glee. He had put Sawada into his place and perhaps, Tatsuya grinned, he would take it as a note for future reference.

Before Tatsuya's giddy triumph could settle, he noticed Sawada's subtle gesture. As Sawada took back his blazer, his hand slowly, gently, and _purposely_ graced along Davina's, sending an unmistakable shudder through her and a slight pink in her cheeks.

Davina peeked to Tatsuya, blushing as if she were guilty and caught red-handed. Tatsuya's blood coiled again; he got the girl into his blazer, so why did he feel like he was still losing to Sawada?

* * *

Davina grudgingly decided that she would skip eating dinner before her ballet lesson, even if just to end what was possibly the most painfully awkward moment in her life. Her stomach grumbled in protest, but she didn't dare imagine sitting at the table with Shin and Tatsuya. Especially after finding two seats on the train and Tatsuya practically demand that he sit next to her, even though Shin was the first on the train. She pictured Tatsuya throwing the same argument if she sat in a booth at a restaurant. And god, what if he insisted on paying? No, she would have to eat later at the ceremony, if she made it on time, which was unlikely.

Walking with them as bad enough. Shin hadn't spoken two words and Tatsuya talked about the weather, to which Davina offered the necessary responses. The freaking _weather_ for goodness' sake. Dread was slowly filling her for her... get together with him tomorrow. After the weather, what else could he talk about? Davina mentally slapped herself before dumbing herself down to come up with a pathetic topic.

She had to admit that without Shin, she would have been just a nervous as Tatsuya was. The idea of tomorrow and what it had in store even awakened the nerves in her stomach.

Crossing the final street in busy Shibuya, Davina sighed in relief at the ballet studio's respective sign. Tatsuya read the kanji out loud to himself then nodded his head as if saying_ ah, definitely a dance studio._ Just a dance studio? Ha! If only the boys knew how many stars, domestic and international, were given birth in this little studio! Davina didn't think to explain it to either of them. It's a dancer's thing.

With her back facing the door, she watched as Shin and Tatsuya glanced around them, taking in the busy, urban atmosphere. Davina paused before smiling and gave her thanks. "Thank you for escorting me, I'll see you both later." With that, Davina spun on her heel and entered the studio, before Tatsuya could reply with his goodbye.

His mouth hung open, dissatisfied that Davina left so abruptly. Sawada, however, shrugged with an exhale of breath, and turned around, fists in his blazer, without saying a damn word. Tatsuya glowered at Sawada's back until he was halfway down the street. He eventually sighed and read the sign of Davina's dance studio again. He recalled seeing her dance just the prior day and somewhere in that studio she would dance again. At that thought, Tatsuya smiled with excitement for their date on Saturday and began, with a slight jump in his step, towards home.

* * *

Davina's normally short Friday lesson seemed to extend for eternity as her stomach growled. Even as Jayla offered her sympathies, Davina knew that even if she ran nonstop to Hardy Barracks after her lesson, the food would probably be all eaten up. Davina had luckily remembered to bring laced shoes so she could at least speed walk to the stations.

Power walking was out the door once she got on the cramped train. She fluttered a quick wave goodbye to Jayla as she stepped off at Minato. As Davina staggered up the stairs, the projector yelled behind her, "MINATO, MINATO!"

Her head ducked as she climbed the numerous steps, her head growing dizzy from remembering that she needed to change into something formal to go to a stupid ceremony she absolutely wanted no part in. And what if she missed the damn thing and just went somewhere to eat instead? Relaxing at cafe was too tempting. After the final steps, Davina scanned the area for Shin, and in jest, for Tatsuya. After his behavior earlier that day, she wouldn't be surprised if he appeared, wishing to take her home.

No sign of anyone yet. Strange... Pulling off to the side of the station, near a bench, away from the crowds, Davina set her bag on the bench and searched for her mobile phone. Scrolling through her numbers, she scoffed humorlessly when she found that Shin's and Tatsuya's number were right next to each other in the list. How perfect.

She dialed Shin's number. As the number beeped, Davina planned to ask Shin if he were already nearby and if not, then just tell him to stay put. She was in a hurry anyway. The call was answered.

"Hello? Shin?" Davina stuck a finger into her empty ear, trying to make out the noises coming from his side, while turning and scotching her bag aside to sit on the bench.

"You hungry?" Said a deep timbre voice on the other side.

Davina rolled her eyes. "I'm _starving _for your information!" She exclaimed. Smart ass. Just then the phone call went dead. Davina pursed her lips, checking her phone to make sure reception wasn't lost. Her phone was fine. Did he hang up on her again?

In the top half of her vision, a person with familiar dark trousers and blazer approached her and the bench she was resting on. Before she could even register the person being Shin, the young man took a large bite from a rice ball in one hand, while holding out a neatly packaged rice ball in the other.

Davina's eyes were fixed on the rice ball, unsure if he really wanted her to have it. Before she could even ask, Shin softly grasped her hand and set the rice ball in her palm. The same delighted shudders from earlier rippled through her. Her heart pattered even when his hand agilely slipped from her hand and back to his side. Oh my goodness, Shin, I could kiss you right now, she imagined herself wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him on the cheek in front of all of Minato. She blushed at the thought.

Davina stared at the rice ball in her hand, still trying to some to her senses that were disheveled by Shin's skin against hers. Finally, the impatient growl of her stomach abruptly yanked her back into reality. Ripping open the wrapping, she forgot to read which flavor it was and simply took a satisfying mouthful of rice and seaweed, her eyes shutting with pleasure to the smell of fish. "_Oh, so good. _Thank you, Shin. Oh thank god, it's not that nasty pickle, sour plum flavor." Too absorbed with enjoying her food, Davina didn't noticed Shin's soft smile and quiet little laugh as he sat down next to her, also taking a bite from his onigiri.

He could tell she was excited by how she was stammering off in English. Her mood was lifted by ten times. Watching Davina enjoy a simple onigiri reminded him of when he ordered some tea and cheap ramen and she was gathering attention by how much she appreciated the meal. Sitting next to her, Shin noticed he was receiving the same gaping expressions that perfectly matched those from that wretched night.

Walking with Davina every night that week had effectively desensitized Shin to the stares, but every once in a while, he would stare back as if to remind people that it wasn't polite to gawk. Davina never paid mind to it, at least when she was with him. That satisfied him a bit.

Davina was already half finished with her onigiri, happily humming to herself carelessly. Shin glanced at her before taking another bite. This was probably his favorite kind of Davina: Happy Davina. And not just that fake happy she plastered around to seem in control, the genuine kind of happy she expressed when she thought no one was looking.

Cars and people whisked passed by them, the sun in the west, off in the distance, just about to set. Still humming, she checked her watch. The ceremony had already started, but Davina couldn't be bothered to move. The past week had been so out of the ordinary that Davina, now looking back, couldn't imagine how she survived. Sitting there, on that bench, with Shin, eating a delicious rice ball, enjoying some rather nice weather; she had earned it and she was going to enjoy every second of it.

* * *

So my original plans were for this chapter to go into the ceremony where another...*cough cough* _something _occurs. Please review this chapter. I'm trying to improve the caliber of my writing and I hope its working. Thank you for reading, I hope it was worth the wait, and please review.


	9. Chapter 9: IT'S NOT A DATE!

Cheri, your kick in the butt was felt and now I'm here to claim my cookie! It feels like it's been forever, hasn't it? I was a bit slow in getting this one together, didn't write—er type?-for a while. Plus, I was moving...you don't want to hear all that boring stuff, am I right?

Thank you to Freaky_Blaze, BloodRedFalcon, Cheri, kc, and loser94 for reviewing the last chapter! I appreciate all of your input and the time you took type your words out for me.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Nine

* * *

Davina nibbled the second half of her onigiri and chewed the food slowly. A guilty smile fumbled its way onto her chewing lips from knowing that she should be hurrying to the ceremony rather than enjoying the urban scenery. The sky was mixed of deep blues and oranges with the sun setting behind the skyscrapers and Tokyo Tower overlooking Tokyo bay. Businessmen were brisking in large groups to the metro station, while young people were climbing up the steps and exclaiming excitedly to themselves about going to Shiba park.

Next to her, Shin was chewing his last bite and crumbling the wrapping into a pile to throw away. She glanced at Shin's trash and then down to her hand, at the bits of fish-filling covered with rice, and seaweed compacted into what used to be a neat triangle. They hadn't spoken for quite some time, simply enjoying not being in a rush or feeling the pressure of meeting someone or heading to some place. "You know, Shin..."

"Hmm?" Shin moaned as he stuffed his trash into his pocket, tilting his head, his hair flipping over his brow.

"There aren't any trash cans in Japan." Davina said, matter-of-fact.

Shin's indifferent face cracked in confusion at first then a subtle smile brightened his expression. "There are plenty—

"In homes maybe, but public-wise? Absolutely none!" Davina chuckled as she swallowed her last bite of onigiri. "There are so many in America, but you can't find one in Japan to save your life." She shifted on the bench to face Shin. Shin fidgeted, he had caught a sweet scent of her hair and could sense of closeness of her body to his. Briefly frozen, he was unable to pick whether to face Davina while she spoke to him or stare at the ground or off into space. Davina, on the other hand, was suppressing laughter and hadn't caught Shin's new unease with her presence focused on him.

"Once, Jayla, Mira, and I bought food and had lunch in a park. After we were done with our food, we couldn't find a place to toss the trash, so we had to carry the trash with us _for the rest of the day._" Davina laughed at the memories of her friends wondering around the city, stomachs hurting from laughter. They ran up and down the streets for a bin, but zero luck. They asked shop owners, who stared at them, confused, "trash bin? No, I'm afraid, I don't know where one is." Their cheeks would then burn bright red from fighting to calm their amusement. They would thank the shop owner then scram away, trying to quieten their obnoxious giggles.

Shin managed to watch Davina's mirth as she stared on at the busy crosswalk. It was overwhelming to take in her happy expression while she was so close to him, but it proved to be difficult to peer away.

Mira and Jayla. Shin focused on Davina saying their names for the sake of memory. The two girls from Davina's high school. The chipper ones. "They would like to meet you." Davina had once admitted to Shin. Before, when Davina first told him that, he had allowed himself to be flattered by their unearned interest. Yet now, with the possibility of actually meeting them a reality, he couldn't imagine impressing them enough with his simple clothes and unideal reputation for their approval.

Thinking back, Shin knew firsthand how girls influenced their friends. It didn't matter to Shin if them or anyone else disapproved of him, but he could bet that Davina's opinion would be more fickle and persuadable. What would they think about Tsuchida? Shin blinked and scratched the back of his neck, bending his head away from Davina's eyes, trying to ignore and mask his dislike of the idea that her friends might like Tsuchida.

Davina was now slowly crumbling up her trash, grudgingly accepting that she had let enough time pass. She was already late for the welcoming ceremony, not that she cared that much, but her parents wanted her to be present. Weakly standing, she felt a cold rush down her back and through her torso. As her hand squeezed the straps of her bag, she thought of Tatsuya's uniform jacket. She pictured the garment mashed in her bag, draped over her dance shoes and clothes.

Remembering the feel of the garment on her shoulders had refreshed the jumpiness from the awkward walk to Shinjuku with Shin and Tatsuya. The texture of jacket against her skin had felt so rough and starchy, completely different from softness of Shin's... Deep down, she had been sorry, for herself and Shin, to return Shin's jacket to him. The pit of her stomach always sunk when she returned his jacket, especially at night when he was to leave her at the gates of the Hardy Barracks to go home. She wouldn't wear Tatsuya's again; she would return the starchy jacket to him on Saturday. The unpleasant flips in her stomach were so unbearable that she would rather suffer through the chilly night than wear it again.

Shin's mobile rang behind her ear and Davina bent back as Shin extended the antenna and accepted the call. "Moshi moshi, Kuma. No, no trouble. No, Tsuchida is not here with us. Yes, I am sure." Shin, whose eyes had been fixed at the ground, suddenly stared up at Davina, causing Davina narrow in, wondering if she were brought up in the conversation. Shin lowered his voice and darted his eyes away. "It's not like that. No, she probably wouldn't want to. Listen, I'll be there after I drop her off. Bye." With a swift motion, he hung up the call, inhaling a sigh of slight agitation.

A rush of guilt came over Davina. "I'm sorry..." she bit her lip, attempting to formulate a decent apology in Japanese. Shin lifted his head, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. She had almost said that she was sorry to have selfishly kept him while he had other plans...but she didn't wish it to mean that she was rudely eavesdropping.

Shin slowly stood, facing Davina seriously. Davina unconsciously leaned back in her shoes, unable to take in the intensity of his gaze. Shin was a serious person by nature, as she had observed from her experience with him, so to have him focus that stoic severity all on her was intimidating. Her breathing grew shallow as she met his strong gaze, mentally fighting the tempting urge to let her knees give in. Those stupid butterflies pattered excitedly in her stomach, making her legs restless even as she concentrated her hardest to remain still. It was frightening to register how Shin's staring could reduce someone of such physical strength and balance as a ballerina into wobbly gelatin. Worried that her awkwardness was obvious, she inhaled a deep breath to sooth the nerves in her stomach and turned her neck away to watch the dense crowds as the filed down to the station stairs and pretend to be casual.

Shin turned away as well, Davina noticed from the corner of her vision, the intensity of his expression slowly diminishing. "Don't worry about them. They know who I'm with and what I am doing. They just get curious sometimes." He uttered while watching pavement and ongoing traffic.

Davina finally nodded, crossing her arms as the ocean-scented wind played with the ends of her hair. The salty smell whisked by them. Davina shut her eyes for a moment, breathing in the calming, ocean air. _"Don't worry about them." _Shin had said. He really can read my mind, can he? Davina thought to herself.

When Davina reopened her eyes, Shin's hand was out in front of her and was grasping his school jacket by the collar. She had been folding her arms again, and perhaps he took that as indication that she was chilly again. She took the garment, allowing Shin's fingers to gently brush against hers, and carefully wrapped the jacket around her. Quickly, she was hugged by the familiar softness and texture while charmed by Shin's scent. Inside the sleeve, her thumb rubbed where his fingers had pressed on her skin.

"If you're cold, you can _always_ wear mine." Shin stated, having seen Davina's soft smile and fragility from taking his jacket. Davina wrapped blazer around her waist with her arms and stared back at Shin, deeply moved by his raw words.

She took in Shin's composure; even though he was in a casual stance, hands in pocket, slightly slouched, she would never doubt his seriousness. Perhaps he understood what effect his seriousness had on her. He had also probably seen her rush into her dance studio without returning Tatsuya's jacket to him. So that probably meant that he knew that Tatsuya's jacket was still with her, yet he still gave her his jacket.

Maybe he really could read her mind.

* * *

Davina exited the elevator, closing her compact, satisfied with her make-up. Her hair was tied into a tight ponytail high on her head, while she was sporting a royal blue dress with a thick, black belt on her waist. She had spent more than a few minutes trying to pick between her flats and high heels. Flats would have been too informal and casual, while high-heels would have been too formal, not to mention her feet were still tender from injuries. Eventually, she chose to wear two-inch high-heeled shoes for sake of not knowing of another instance where she would get to wear a high-heeled shoe in Japan. Sticking a couple of new bandages on her sores would hold back the pain as long as she wasn't required to stand for very long or dance.

The halls were mostly empty except for the few Japanese workers to which Davina uttered her usual "konbanwa." _Good evening. _The Japanese workers would always lift their heads from their work and nod their heads to reply with "konbanwa." The Americans were all probably in the ceremonial ballroom.

Davina yawned as she approached the tall wooden doors that led to the ceremonial ballroom. She pressed her ear to the doors to figure if it were safe to enter without interrupting an address or speech and if she could slink on in without many people noticing. Lots of chatter slipped through the cracks; dinner must have been served.

Davina held the knob and pushed the heavy door just enough so that she could barely slink through. One of the guards at the door immediately reached for the door so Davina could comfortably enter. The ballroom was scattered with small circular tables, seated with important military officers and their families. Power walking, Davina searched aimlessly for her parents. Scanning from front to back, it was just a mess of people. After a few more seconds of looking stupid, Davina imagined, she located her father and mother sitting towards the front left. Her mother gave a little wave of her hand, while her father was happily engaged with conversing with who Davina assumed to be the new officer.

Her mother acknowledged Davina as she eased into a seat, moving her toes to allow the bandages to breathe. Most of the table was cleared for bread, cheese, dessert, and tea, except for a single plate of grilled chicken, rice, and a small salad. "You're lucky, Davina." Her mother chimed next to her. "Just seconds before I saw you, a nice waiter asked if it were alright if he cleared up this plate. I said 'no, let's give her a few. Surely, she is hurrying to get here.'" She gave Davina a sarcastic batting of her eye lashes.

Davina remembered the pleasurable guilt from sitting with Shin, not feeling an ounce of regret. "The other girls were lousy today so Madame made us all stay later. I hurried here after my class was finished. And I think I look quite fine, especially when you factor in the little amount of time I had to prepare." Davina responded, before taking a sip from her glass of water.

"Blame your father for your and my lack of time to prepare." Her mother muttered causing Davina's father to lift his head away from the conversation with the new sergeant.

"Oh, excuse me Sergeant Williams, seems that my daughter has finally arrived, so you two may be introduced." Both Davina and the new sergeant stood and held out their right hands for greeting. "Davina, this is Sergeant Williams, Sergeant Williams, this is Davina, my only daughter."

The new sergeant appeared to be of similar age to her father: graying hair, soft eyes, wrinkles around his smile. In a matter of a few seconds, Davina could already see that the new sergeant held himself with the same authority and genuine demand for respect as her father. Davina gave a courtesy smile and shook the sergeant's hand strongly. "Hello, I'm Davina Summons, nice to meet you sergeant."

The sergeant gave a closed-mouth smile as his hand returned to his side. "It's a pleasure to meet you." He said with a significant Southern drawl. The sergeant eyed Davina from head to toe, in the same manner as her father did with everyone he had just met. After a pause, the sergeant continued, "if you father told me correctly, you're attending the American high school in Japan, yes?"—Davina's father nodded his head in acknowledgment—"How do you find it?"

Davina licked her lips, feeling her father's powerful gaze over her to compose herself well in front of the new sergeant. "It's an American high school in Japan. They understand the usual pathway of their students as most return to the US for college, so they work very hard to prepare for that. They host the SATs, ACTs, advanced placement exams, etc. Many students, meanwhile, do stay in Japan to attend university. They have their own special tutors to prepare students for those hefty entrance exams."

Sergeant Williams laughed, winning a smile from Sergeant Summons. "Wonderful! Hopefully my son will take well to ASIJ. Speaking of Sam, Margaret"—Sergeant looked down to his brunette wife sitting next to him who had been conversing with the couple next to her—"where did Sam run off to?"

The woman, twisted away from her conversation, adjusted her wrap and quickly scanned the ballroom. "He left for a while to introduce himself to everyone, but I didn't see where he ran off to."

"Davina," Her mother whispered to her from behind. "Could you pick me up another drink? Just some more tea and get some for yourself too. The bar in the back will heat some for you."

"Yes, Ma." Davina pushed in her chair and circled around the assorted tables. The bar was lit by yellowing lightening, which reminded Davina of her dance studio and was remarkably silent in relation to the rest of the ballroom. Peace and quiet. Her back relaxed as she sat on one of the stools and ordered the tea from a waiter who was cleaning a glass with a wet cloth. She stared absentmindedly at the dirty blenders, massive buckets of ice, cola dispensers, cabinets full of bottles of wine and hard liquor, and the rest of the bar, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion come over her.

The very least that Davina was planning to do tomorrow was return Tatsuya's jacket to him. Not as an aggressive gesture, he did need it to wear to school after all, but a genuinely grateful one. She still had no feelings towards Tatsuya, but maybe they could at least be friends. She decided, staring at the frozen fruit used to make smoothies, that she would appreciate having a native Japanese friend, since most of those at her school were so shy when she first arrived and were a bit clique-ish as most of them just hung out with other Japanese students. She didn't blame them, her Japanese wasn't so good, nor was their English.

If her and Tatsuya could be friends, then maybe the tension between him and Shin would disappear. Recalling the ridiculous events from earlier that day, Davina fought the urge to cringe while sitting at the bar. Why had Tatsuya been so nasty to Shin? Perhaps Tatsuya interpreted Shin's protectiveness as romantic advances. Davina rested her head on her palm with her elbow on the bar. The thought of Shin pursuing her seemed ludicrous to her, how could Tatsuya conceive of such a thing? Of course, she would be able to see if Shin was interested in her, right?

"Hiding away from the party?" Whispered a Southern voice next to Davina.

She let out a soft groan. Who ruined her well-earned peace and quiet?

She turned to her head towards the direction of the voice and saw a male stranger in military uniform. The Southern drawl was the same accent as Sergeant Williams. The teenage boy standing next to her had to be his son. Short spiky brown hair, dark eyes, and slightly round face, Davina could imagine he was about her age or older, especially if he was to be enrolled at ASIJ according to his father.

He set his empty glass on the bar and sat in the seat inches to the left of hers. Davina couldn't help but notice that all the rest of the stools were free.

"Have you been an army brat for long?" His words were slurred with an unashamed, American-Southern accent, confirming Davina's identifying him as Sergeant Williams' son. One of the barmen took his soda and refilled it. He grasped the glass but paused for Davina to speak before taking a sip.

Davina turned her eyes back to the dirty blenders. "My family have always been in the military, both sides, why?"

The boy seemed taken aback by Davina's bluntness, nearly choking on his soda, but he still managed to smile. "I apologize, what I should have asked is if you have been in Japan for long?"

"Long enough to express my most basic needs and emotions in Japanese and know most of everyone in this room by first and last name. But that is all due to my father. Again, why you ask?"

The Southern boy's smile grew bigger and he laughed. "Your father is Sergeant Summons right? He is a cool guy. My father has warmed up to him already and if you knew him like I do, you would know what that means." Both Davina and the boy looked back at their respective fathers conversing. Davina was empathetic to the boy's assertion that his father was a difficult person to impress. Her father's opinion on people was nearly impossible to predict, other than military folk that is. Even if her father was not on the best of terms with a military officer, he always gave him tremendous respect for understanding and loyalty to the service.

"You're Sergeant Williams' son, right?" Davina muttered finally.

The boy immediately turned back to her and held out his hand. "I beg your pardon for my rudeness, I didn't introduce myself. Samuel Williams. Or Sam-for short."

Davina took his hand in hers and gingerly shook with a simper. "Davina Summons. Daughter of sergeant Summons." She pulled a loose piece of hair to her ear and adjusted her earring, then noticed the boy fixed on her. She suddenly turned to him and he immediately switched his attention away, slightly blushing. He laughed at himself, unabashedly. "That probably means that you don't socialize with the others on the base, don't you?" The boy referred, with a circle-motion of his arm, to the other families sitting at the tables.

Davina took a moment to scan the smartly decorated room, recalling the instances where she was originally introduced to the other daughters of the base. Interestingly, she had meet most of them, if not all of them in that same ballroom. Most of them were out of her age-range and the rest weren't empathetic to her dreams of doing ballet and attended different schools. They all had so many interests that they conflicted with their career plans, not that Davina ever understood not knowing what she wanted to become. They would often greet each other in the halls if they ran into each other, but that's where the interaction ended. Davina had liked one girl in particular named Anita, but she was a senior and about to leave for Washington state for college. Otherwise, she had once heard whispers that she didn't want to talk to anyone because her father was a higher ranking sergeant, which was not true. Davina then saw that Sam was still waiting for a reply, so she compressed her thoughts into words.

"Not because I don't like them, but we are all of different age, plus I'm busy most of the time."

Sam sympathetically nodded his head. "Oh, schooling?"

"_Ballet._"

"Miss?" One of the barmen uttered to Davina. "If you wish, I can deliver the tea to your table."

Davina pressed her hands on the table, motioning she was about to stand up. "Please, the farthest table to the left." The barman set the two cups with sides of sugar and milk to a tray and brisked towards the table.

The bandages in her toes were squished as Davina straightened. She hid a face of grimace as her weight pushed her feet into her heels uncomfortably against her sores. She remained composed as she bid farewell to Sam. "I suppose I'll see you at school."

Sam's eyes were fixed on Davina and normally she would have been disgusted by the obvious staring, but Sam's intentions didn't feel, deep down, to be lustful. There was something sort of patiently sweet about him, almost naïve, but sweet nonetheless. Usually if Davina was as tired and as a result, sour with everyone as she had just been with him, they would openly express their dislike. However, he had laughed at himself and had smiled at her. She could see already that he had a certain interest in her, judging by his patience with her and the fact that there were plenty of other girls he could have introduced himself to who would have been nicer for the fact they had had more sleep.

Eventually, his brown set of eyes met hers and he smiled once more. "See you Monday morning, Ms. Summons."

_Ms. Summons_

The title made her feel old, Davina thought as she and her parents rode the elevator up to their hall. Her legs and feet were officially gelatin and now that it was just her parents, she groaned to them about the pain in her shoes. "I cannot wait for a nice, hot bath."

"I wish you had arrived sooner, Davina. You could have talked with Sergeant Williams more" Her father uttered, half seriously, half humorously in essence of his enjoyment of meeting the Williams family.

Davina leaned against the bar in the elevator when they reached their hall with a _ding! _of the bell. "Ballet ran late, dad, I hurried as fast as I could." She fibbed, not really caring that ballet had been dismissed early and she could have been at the ceremony almost an hour earlier. Like she was going to tell her parents that?

She kicked off her heels as soon as the key turned in the door. Her toenails were painful with pressure and the fresh moisture on her feet informed her that her sores were reopened.

Davina's mother bid her goodnight to her and her father. Davina's father stretched his legs out and turned on the late night news with an American newspaper in his lap. "Listening to the Japanese news helps improve my Japanese and the newspaper tells me what they are talking about so I can follow along," he had told Davina when she had asked once. She hadn't found the answer satisfactory, but she had accepted.

Shutting the door and inhaling a deep breath, Davina closed her eyes and leaned all her weight against the door with her hand pressed tightly on the knob for support. She didn't count how long she stood there, but when she opened her eyes again, she yawn more tiredly than before. Thank god it was Friday.

Letting down her hair and walking over to grab a towel, Davina's shin hit against her ballet bag. Her old pair of Pointe shoes had finally given out that prior evening ballet class, so she unzipped the duffel and removed two dirty Pointe shoes. Examining the shoes as the heels hung hooked from two fingers, Davina imagined that someone who didn't understand ballet wouldn't ever guess that she had only owned those shoes for barely a month. Hell, Davina herself still had regular shoes a few years old that were in better condition than those almost-month-old Pointe shoes. They had also lasted a good while in comparison to her _other _Pointe shoes...

As Davina reached in her dresser to store the old shoes, her eyes caught Tatsuya's jacket folded in her duffel. In her exhaustion, she had almost forgotten it was there. In order to remember taking it with her on her supposed date with Tatsuya, she needed to remove it from the dance bag.

She carefully set the nicely folded jacket next to her laptop on her desk. It was strange to see it there among her things. The garment looked so simple, but Davina wondered how two identical copies of a blazer could produce two polar opposite reactions from her. Sure, she could factor in that she was more comfortable with Shin, but actually wearing the two blazers had caused two different physical reactions. She could not believe the bliss and delight she experienced when wearing Shin's and the discomfort and nervousness when she wore Tatsuya's.

In frustration and exhaustion, Davina weakly kicked her duffel. No more. She was tired, tired, _tired! _In the split second that it took Davina to shove her bag away, grab her towel, and head for the shower, she reassured herself that the following evening she will make progress in realizing her own comfort with Tatsuya as she had gained with Shin. Tatsuya deserved that same chance as Shin and he had as much potential as Shin, and perhaps more if he played his cards right.

* * *

Davina squint her eyes against the bright sun as Mira and Jayla surrounded her as they strolled onto Takeshitadori. Saturday afternoons in Harajuku were expected to be jam-packed, but for the fact that it was sunny, the intensity of the crowds were exponential in comparison. The crowds still didn't deter the girls from merrily continuing with their plans for afternoon shopping.

Jayla and Mira noticed their friend was more withdrawn than usual, biting that pesky lip of hers whenever they came across anything they remotely liked in the stores. They knew from experience the nerves and hesitance of preparing for a date—or in Davina's case whatever she called it. They knew without asking, but were going to ask any way for the sake of their friend opening up.

Mira set the hanger of the skirt she was going to purchase next to Davina's dressing room. She checked her watch and tapped her foot. Davina normally was quick to come out and show them different outfits, but since Davina shut the curtain, she hadn't come out nor uttered a single word. Mira decided to wait for Jayla to finish changing before approaching Davina for the sake of buying her more time. Mira leaned on the wall, next to her skirt. She heard Jayla's words in her head addressed to her after lunch the previous day at school, "I'm not worried at all about Davina dealing with the nerves that she has about these guys, _but! _I am worried that she will over think the situation and overlook what's in front of her."

Davina stood in the romantic-styled dressing room, smoothing out the dress she was trying on. Knee-length, very pale pink, almost white with a hem of lacy flowers around her thighs, thin sleeves. The dress by itself would be too light to wear for the cool evening. She had seen a scarf and or a white cardigan that could be worn to stay warm.

Davina loved the dress; she would definitely buy it, but for her date—err whatever tonight with Tatsuya, she didn't want to wear it. The dress was gorgeous and looked lovely on her, but she was unable to wrap her head around Tatsuya seeing it—

"Is everything a-ok in there, Davina?" Mira asked, her shadow on the curtain. Jayla's figure slid next to Mira as her hand grabbed the cloth and yanked it aside, regardless of knowing if Davina was dressed or not.

Before uttering another word, both of them gasped when they saw Davina. "Oh my god, Davina! It's beautiful!" Mira said as her and Jayla excitedly surrounded Davina and stared back at her reflection in the full-length mirror.

"Are you sure?" Davina bashfully asked. "Are you sure it's not just the warm lighting?" She remembered the bar counter from the night before and Sam's personal insistence of sitting next to her when all other seats were available.

"Absolutely! Without a shred of doubt!" Jayla's voice brought Davina back to reality. "This is what you are wearing for tonight." Jayla exclaimed, beaming. "Normally, I would suggest against a fiery-red headed beauty"—she nudged Davina playfully on the elbow—"from wearing something with a pale pink scheme, but...I don't know how to describe it, creamy, white-ish, pink-ish, the color is perfect for you." She held up an 'ok' gesture with her hand.

"Agreed, you're going to 'wow' in this dress." Mira smiled at Davina's reflection.

Davina munched up her face, positioning in the dress, trying to imagine herself with Tatsuya while wearing the dress. She couldn't do it. She didn't want _him _to see her in the dress. Jayla's and Mira's beaming smiles slowly dimmed as they watched Davina stare off at her reflection, her fingers picking at the flowers on the hemming. Did she not like the dress? How could she not? What was wrong with it?

"Is it your hair?" Jayla spoke up suddenly, her voice a little high in pitch. "Try it down.

Her hair was still in a tight bun, so when Jayla pulled on the hair-tie, Davina's red tresses waved down her neck and back. Tying her hair up had given her usually straight hair a kink, so as Davina tilted and leaned in the dress, she figured that she should wear her hair curly for the outfit. Jayla and Mira were even more baffled by Davina's lack of reaction. They knew her style and were beyond certain that, normally, she would already be purchasing the dress with giddy excitement in sharing her plans to wear it. But Davina was unmoved. Surely, especially with her hair down, Davina could see how wonderfully she could wear the dress. How could she not realize about lovely she looked?

Davina's fingers twirled a few locks of hair, picturing little ringlets she could spend hours styling in. But...deep down she didn't want to wear her hair curly for Tatsuya. She simply would not wear this dress to see him that night. She bit her lip, then noticed Jayla's and Mira's worry and slight confusion.

"Don't get me wrong! I love this dress." Davina uttered shrilly. She fingered the sleeves and then smoothed out her silhouette. She remembered grimly Tatsuya's rudeness to Shin, the embarrassment she endured the previous day and Shin's intimidating gaze that made her lean back in her shoes even in the dressing room. She fought back a smile at the immediate thought of wearing the dress while in the warmth of Shin's blazer, not Tatsuya's. "But for tonight...it's not...right. Not for Tatsuya." She bit her tongue after she muttered the last statement, hoping Mira and Jayla hadn't heard, but their soft smirks told her she had been caught.

"_So, _you don't want to wear this dress tonight. _So, _that means you're saving it." Jayla crossed her arms, saying her words slowly, her smirk so subtle but definite on her lips. "Not for Tatsuya, but _something _special."

Davina sighed and nodded, shrugging off the anticipation that had gathered from Jayla's and Mira's close examination. Their smirking hadn't appeased her either. Perhaps they were more nervous about that night than she was. Decidedly, she slipped off her shoes to begin changing so she could purchase the dress.

"Mira, are you still getting that ruffled skirt?" Davina asked to move on to a different subject, gathering her hair to tie up again.

"Yes, and Jayla's getting the blouse. We'll meet up at the counter."

The two girls pulled the curtain aside, but just as they exited the dressing room, they turned to Davina.

"_So, _she's saving it, she says." Jayla nudged to Mira, now barely able to stop the giggles.

"Saving it for some_one _special!" Mira teased as Davina glared at the both of them and yanked the curtain closed. She heard her two friend's chuckles move away as their shadows faded off in the distance.

She stood by herself in the warm lighting with no haste to meet her friends and do more shopping. The idea in her head made Davina so jumpy that she was embarrassed to even think it: saving the dress so that Shin could see it. She was sure that was who her friends were referring to when they had teased her. She truly doubted that Shin could care about a dress, but Davina only wanted to wear it for him. The dress was far too special to wear for just any occasion. Shin was far too special—Davina slapped her blushing cheeks to cover them as though someone were watching.

She slipped off the dress and wore her legs through her trousers. The expression she saw in her reflection was not familiar to her. Such awkward nerves. She really needed to get a grip of herself. She was stronger than this.

* * *

The world's most busiest crosswalk was alive with what appeared to be hundreds of people crossing to opposite ends of the walk. The sun still shined brightly to the west behind Davina as she tapped her foot to match the jumpy beans in her stomach.

Ultimately, she had decided on wearing black flats, a mainly white skirt with black floral patterns, and then a black dressy top that wasn't _too _dressy. The floor of her room was officially carpeted with all of the clothes of her closet from changing dozens of times. What message would she been sending if her skirt was too short or if she wore jeans or if her blouse was too loose? Makeup was just as difficult. Her makeup remover bottle was now dry and her eyelids had turned pink with irritation of changing her lid color repeatedly. Between the gray smoky eye she had on her left eye and the plain beige on her right eye, she decided to mix them. Not to go too plain and to not be too dramatic. Finally, her decision was a lighter lid color with a darker gray in the crease.

Davina had groaned every time her eyes turned to her alarm clock. Why had she put so much effort into this? She didn't even really like Tatsuya _like that_...

On her last trip to stand in front of the mirror, she had sighed in the most possible amount of satisfaction to be drawn from that situation. She looked nice enough and not over the top. She had grabbed the end of her skirt and straightened out the folds then let go. The skirt flowed just on her knee; the length was alright. Her flats had offered a casual touch. Heels would have been too formal and probably too tall for Tatsuya. Her blouse was simple with a flattering cut, not too low or conservative. She was dressed to go to a _nice, friendly _dinner. Serious and friendly.

Just before she left out of the door of her room, she went to her desk to take Tatsuya's jacket. It was too big to carry in her purse, so she let the garment sit over the span of her forearm as she left the Hardy Barracks towards the subway station.

Jayla and Mira had demanded that she text them regularly for details. Davina hadn't originally agreed, but while nervously sitting and waiting in Shibuya, her frantic hands reached into her bag and glided across the keys of her phone. _Just waiting, he should be here any moment now. _

Just as the message sent, a reply came in from Mira: _Remember to RELAX _

Davina inhaled a deep breath, imagining Mira's voice in her head interacting those words. She inhaled a deep breath, shut her eyes, and counted backwards from three.

_Three._

_Two._

_One._

Another inhale of breath. Davina's lids lifted and immediately the calmness she had managed to gather was scattered into nerves when she saw Tatsuya. Clad in a simple shirt and dark trousers, it was interesting to see him in something different than his uniform. Davina gave herself a once-over as she felt his eyes scan her from head to toe. Her clothes were fine. And she supposed that he thought so too by the way he couldn't pry his eyes away from her bare legs.

Davina packed her mobile phone back into her little purse, grasped the edges of the concrete platform as she stood up and smiled. "Hello, Tatsuya."

Tatsuya scratched the back of his neck, obviously as nervous as she was. "Hello, Dabina."

She squeezed the garment on her arm, wondering if it were appropriate to return it to him now. Tatsuya had already noticed her holding it, so without a second thought she held out the jacket for him to take. "Thank you for allowing me to borrow it yesterday. I figured you might need it on Monday morning." Davina immediately remembered Headteacher's snarky gripe to Shin and her when he had caught Shin without his jacket and her wearing it instead.

No Shin, she pined. A hankering sensation pressed in her chest and remorse filled her when she peered at Tatsuya. Poor Tatsuya. For the first time, even with hundreds, maybe thousands of people in her vicinity, she was alone with Tatsuya and her mind was yearning for someone else. It wasn't fair to him that she had agreed to seeing him alone out of pure commiseration. When she was alone with Shin the night before, she hadn't yearned for Tatsuya.

She had to set the record straight now. "Tatsuya... I..."

He gulped at the sudden tender expression on her face. Tatsuya couldn't believe that he had the guts to conjure this get-together. "Yes, Dabina?" He asked politely.

Davina's throat tightened. She couldn't do it. The guilt was overwhelming. "It was nothing important, shall we go?" She responded and forced an artificial smile.

Tatsuya bowed his head, set his hands into his pockets, and gestured towards the sidewalk.

Davina followed. She would go through with this...whatever and perhaps he would get bored of her or she would send out vibes to him that she only wanted to be friends. She inhaled a reassuring breath, which only slightly appeased the monster of guilt within her.

* * *

Davina admittedly found it slightly interesting what she could do to Tatsuya with a simple flip of her long curtain of red hair. He would be talking to her casually and she would tuck her hair behind her ear and run her hand down through her tresses, causing him to, for a moment, lose his train of thought. Her actions weren't out of malice, but surprise how her mother's words to her when she become a teenager were true, "the simplest things, Davina, will drive them _insane_."

"Ah, um, as I was saying, this place right here has the best Chinese I have ever tasted." Tatsuya, grinning out of desperation for confidence, led her inside the busy restaurant. Davina took in the atmosphere as they were seated: beautiful artwork hung on the walls, steam from hot pots of tea sent misty fog to hung under the warm red lighting. For the place that at first glance seemed busy, the tone was relaxed and quaint, especially compared to the Saturday night that was beginning to unwind in Shibuya.

Tatsuya ran his hand through his own head of hair in uncertainty of his hairstyle. Upon her glances at Tatsuya as he walked with her through Shibuya, she had conceived that he had tried extremely hard to clean himself up. His hair was combed through, but unevenly gelled. His shirt excreted a scent of over-sprayed cologne. His shoes, as he walked with her, appeared to be uncomfortable. His socks were even two mismatched. As she attempted to read through the menu with her best applied Japanese, she admitted to herself that deep down she was flattered that someone could go through so much effort just to prepare for her.

Tatsuya scratched his chin as he randomly glanced across the table to Davina, wondering if he should assist her with ordering. He didn't want to insult her Japanese, but it seemed polite to try and help.

His worries were solved when the waiter came and Davina ordered herself a soup without struggle. Tatsuya himself was almost too impressed to hear the waiter turn to him and ask for his input. "Uh, same for me, please."

Davina checked her phone and saw two messages from Jayla and Mira. _Well? What's happening? Is it awkward? Goodness, woman! Tell us! _Davina quickly typed a quick message, _it's going fine, not really awkward, _and sent it.

Tatsuya noticed the pressing stares of many in the restaurant. Were they staring at him or Davina? What were they thinking? _What was she doing with him? _However, Tatsuya thought, if he in their positions, he would be staring too. He had seen men alone with beautiful gaijin women with blonde hair and blue eyes. Sure, Davina was not a blonde-bombshell, but with red hair and green eyes, she was special and his. He smirked.

He used the moment to set his arms on the table and look intently at Davina. When her phone was stashed away again, he opened his mouth, but paused before saying anything, as though checking his certainty of what he was about to ask.

"Pardon if you mind me asking, but how is it that you came to help Yamaguchi's class on their English midterm?" Tatsuya's eyes were diverted away from Davina and his words were murmured so quickly that Davina almost hadn't understood.

She took a sip of her water; she had been wondering when the question was going to pop up. Luckily for Tatsuya she had already formulated an answer. "English is my first language, after all. For faster language acquisition, it helps to have a native speaker."

Tatsuya nodded his head, but Davina could tell by the way he fidgeted impatiently in his seat that he was not satisfied by her answer. He twisted his neck away. He hadn't expected her to be so vague. Would he give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she didn't fully understand his question or believe that she was hiding something?

"And you Tatsuya?"

Tatsuya lifted his head and stared back at Davina with high eyebrows. "Huh? Yes?"

"How did you decide to help 3-D?" Davina asked, her face glowing in the warm lighting. Tatsuya could hardly bare to look at her in the eye.

"A 3-D student, I don't even know his name, came up to me in the hall one day. I thought he was going to beat me up, but he showed me his English textbook and asked me if I knew the answer to a question. Surprised me to no end. My class loves Fujiyama"—Davina smirked at this, _gee, I wonder why?_ She thought to herself—"so I gathered Kazu and Akira to help. We're some of the best speakers in class, but English is hard, yet we decided to try our best."

_Yes, I imagine it is very difficult to learn English with a beautiful woman trying to teach it to you. _"Tell me, what did the student you helped in the hallway look like?"

"Dyed hair, about my size."

Davina ignored the slightly bitter and careless tone in his voice and glanced up at the ceiling before uttering a sure answer. "Matsudaira-kun."

She knew his name? Did she know _all _of them by name? Tatsuya suddenly felt awkward. Was she just that attentive or...unlikely, but had 3-D made a good impression upon her? No way. About as likely as Kazu getting accepted into Todai, which was now more jinxed due to his recent skips from cram school. Either way, she was apparently...friendly with Sawada. He had had some unpleasant things he could openly mention about 3-D and Sawada, but figured that it would be best to wait and find out if they were on the same wavelength on their feelings towards 3-D.

It was at that moment that Tatsuya decided to glance at the door and watch it open. Davina nearly stood to her feet when she saw the expression of surprise mixed with dread on his face. She twisted behind and saw Kazuo, Akihito, and someone else she didn't know ignore the hostess of the restaurant and march right over to their table.

Even from behind, she could clearly hear Tatsuya's muttered cursing. "Damn it! Haruki? What are they doing with him here?"

Davina resettled herself and fixed her content expression. She smoothed her skirt and took a gulp of water as Kazuo, Akihito, and the stranger rudely pull up idle chairs to sit next to Tatsuya. Tatsuya looked strained, too tight with nervousness to even utter a friendly word to his friends. Kazuo and Akihito sat side by side with Tatsuya meanwhile the stranger sat nearer towards Davina. He gave her a once-over with his eyes and with a slight gesture to Kazuo, Akihito, and Tatsuya, he informed them that he liked what he saw. Davina fought the instinct to leer at him. She felt her phone vibrate in her purse against her chair. She didn't dare reach for it.

"Sorry to be intrusive, Tatsuya, but Haruki demanded that he meet the notorious Davina face to face." Kazuo peered away apprehensively, unable to take in Tatsuya's distressed face.

The stranger grinned at Kazuo then turned his attention back to Davina. Davina met his steady gaze no matter how irritated she felt by his presence. The stranger chuckled and set his arm crossed on the table. "Please pardon my rudeness, my name is Inoue, Haruki." He introduced himself in Japanese, yet held out a hand for Davina to shake.

She looked down at the hand then gingerly held hers out and shook his strongly. "Davina Summons."

Inoue jeered to his friends. Tatsuya had barely moved, but Davina could read that his patience was waning away with every jeer and sneer. "Well, Dabina-chan—

"Ms Summons!" Davina scorned to him in English.

Inoue whooped impatiently for being interrupted. "She demands to be addressed with respect. You two were right—" he gestured to Kazuo and Akihito— "she is uptight." Davina simpered to Inoue and Tatsuya recoiled, internally begging that Davina hadn't understood. He knew his wishing was in vain when he read her expression of pure disdain towards Inoue.

The quaint and comfortable vibe in the restaurant had officially dissolved and Davina hated the lustful glances Inoue made at her. Couldn't he at least try and be subtle? She bent her legs so that maybe her chair could cover her a bit, but Inoue was sitting too close for it to help. His curiosity seemed further aroused by her difficulty.

Her phone vibrated once more. She still didn't answer.

"Haruki, maybe we should go." Akira suggested, but Inoue nearly laughed at him.

"I can be reasonable. I just wanted to see the girl that my friend Tatsuya has been talking about all week." Inoue said in a quieter voice to Davina, not bothering to look back at the nervous Tatsuya. "Maybe have a quick chat with her, then I'll go, I promise."

Davina leaned in, waiting for his first question. Her hands clenched the bottom of her chair while the expression on her face remained steady and serious.

"Now, _Suminsu-san_, we were discussing this yesterday, all of us, and we were wondering if you truly believed that 3-D would save Fujiyama from being sacked?"

Tatsuya turned to Davina, his heart in his throat. Damn you, Haruki!

"Why you ask?" Davina's hands squeezed the bottom of her chair as the anger building inside of her was sealed behind her face.

Though Akira and Kazu had seen Davina's demeanor in the classroom, even they were beginning to doubt her sincerity judging by her unflinching expression.

Tatsuya fought the urge to yank Haruki back as he leaned towards Davina with that craving grin on his face. Davina herself fought the urge to shove him back but her knuckles cracked under the chair, trying with all her might to repress such malicious desire. Her disgust further grew when she scented alcohol under his breath.

His hot breath brushed against her cheek as he muttered his words. "Rumor on the street is that you were asked to tutor them. These three gave some hardy testimony of your effort, but really, do you honestly believe that _garbage _is capable of any feat except crime?" Davina slight shuddered and to that Haruki sneered.

Davina reposed herself as Haruki leaned away from her again. Her ability to keep a cool exterior was deteriorating rapidly. Her hands could hardly grasp her chair anymore. Something had to give soon... "Tatsuya, is what he is saying true?"

Tatsuya scouted in his chair towards the table and glanced away with a deep inhale of air, unable to face her. "I have my doubts. None of 3-C believes it is going to happen."

Davina felt her something sink within her. She had trusted his sincerity since day-one when he had introduced himself in struggled English.

Tatsuya saw her hollowing eyes and frantically shook his arm in front. "No! It's not your fault that no one believes in 3-D!" He thought his words would calm her. "Only that nutty-annoying teacher of theirs. What you did was good. You don't have to feel guilty when they fail."

The disappointment was so overwhelming it was a painful pit in her stomach, pleading to be released. Surely, she hadn't been fooled for the past week? This had to be a joke right?

"After the tutoring, you don't have to see Sawada again, right?" Tatsuya pressed on. Haruki licked his lips while Kazu and Akira remained still with caution, waiting for a reaction from Davina.

Davina's hands cracked again on her chair. Shin was bound to come up in the conversation so she was astonished that the mention of his name had sent a surprised shiver through her back. "You...don't want me to see Shin?"

She had called him Shin, not Sawada. Tatsuya knew he had to nip this in the bud now. He had talked to his friends about the walk to Shinjuku. They had all agreed that Sawada needed to be out of the picture entirely, at all costs. Surely, Davina would agree.

Just then, the waiter carrying two large bowls of soup set them in front of their respective customers. Tatsuya grabbed his utensil and started swirling the steamy broth. Davina still hadn't moved, seeing her reflection in the steaming soup.

"I'd...rather you cut ties with Sawada after the tutoring, after all, it was him that asked you, right?" Tatsuya ventured.

Davina's chest quivered, unable to repress the emotion growing inside. She shook her head slightly as though she wasn't hearing right and couldn't comprehend what Tatsuya was saying.

Tatsuya scooped up some of his soup and blew across to cool it down before swallowing. "You're a not familiar with the people here, so I'd rather tell you and not let you associate yourself with the wrong people. You have nothing to gain by being with Sawada, Shin. I can't say he has done anything good for anyone. The only reason Headteacher hasn't expelled him yet is because Sawada is clever. And also because of Yamaguchi's incessant whining. If she wasn't there, all of the 3-D would be gone. There's no reason a lovely girl like yourself should be with garbage like that, 3-D or Sawada."

Davina's focus narrowed on Tatsuya as he slurped his soup. All four pairs of eyes were fixed on her, waiting for her agreement.

3-D fail? They _were _terrible in the beginning, but they were one hundred percent honest in their will to improve and help a fellow classmate. Now, in her native opinion, they were all probably better than Tatsuya, Akihito, and Kazuo. And Shin never doing anything good? He had been the only one in all of Roppongi to save her that one significant night. He had bought her ramen and tea at his expense, he walked her home and gave her his jacket. Her repayment to him was to help his friend, Noda. And they, her, Yamaguchi, and all of 3-D were working hard every day after school to save _their _teacher from being sacked.

Davina gazed at Tatsuya, trying with the last of her will to sense if he or his friends exhibited any gratefulness for their effort. She saw their fronts of superiority. She sighed deeply; she had dearly hoped that she could find something sincere in any of the four of them. There was nothing sincere about them. She peered down back at her full bowl of soup and met her reflection again.

Her sore hands finally let go of her chair and reached into her purse. She pulled out her wallet, dropped a ¥1,000 note and a ¥500 coin in front of her bowl. Without saying a word, she stood from her chair, twisted back and almost ran out the door. Tatsuya nearly choked on his soup and stumbled out of his chair, "ma-matte!" but Davina was long gone before he could follow her.

Davina ambled down the busy street, so sick with bent-up anger and disappointment that she barely saw and cared where she was speeding off. Her phone vibrated viciously in her purse, but she ignored it.

She had been fooled. Fooled. Fooled. Fooled! But she wasn't the fool, Tatsuya was the fool. The fact that he had actually been convinced that he was doing her a favor made him the fool. 3-D was not garbage. Yamaguchi-sensei was not garbage. Shin was not garbage.

She leaned against an infrastructure and caught her breath, her heart pounded furiously in her ears. She didn't tell how far she had gone, but she didn't care. She reached in her purse for her phone and searched through her contacts. She selected Shin's number and hit send on her phone.

Her hand shook as she gulped and held the receiver to her ear, her throat tight and dry. "Ah, hello Shin. Hachiko. Onegaishimasu."

* * *

Phew! A biggie chapter that was. I hope you don't mind the length and I hope you don't mind how long it took for me to update. I mean, I don't mind if you do mind that it took over two months. Relocating to a different country can quite time consuming, not to mention a catalyst for writers' block *shivers*. I also hope no one believes I have abandoned this story. Once I get settled in, I wish to continue spewing out regular chapters. As always, thank you for reading and please review!


	10. Chapter 10: Hachiko, Onegaishimasu

Relocated to a different country safe and sound. Whoo! I still need to stop neglecting my term papers...

Double-digit chapters! Psh—I think you should just study, darkredcrystal ;) and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Have a good one! Cheri and darkredcrystal, a message from each of you in the same day—are you two conspiring together now?

Mucho thanks to Lexy4eva, loser94, Cheri, darkredcrystal, and last, but certainly not least -black-.x.-rabbit-! Thank you all for your reviews! Thank you for your comments and questions. I'll try my best to keep updating regularly and I deeply, deeply, deeply appreciate your wonderful feedback!

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Ten

* * *

_I walked out._

After Davina hung up the phone with Shin, she texted Mira and Jayla. Moments after her message sent, her phone vibrated in her purse, but she didn't bother to check. They would be asking for information to understand what happened, but Davina wasn't sure if she could comprehend it herself.

The sun was almost set behind her as she sat in her previous spot near Hachiko.

What was said and done seemed so blurry to her now that the only proof of her intense anger were her sore fingers and knuckles from cracking under her chair. Davina flexed her hands with difficulty, unable to believe how hard she had held on to her seat. She bit her nails nervously and constantly peeked over her shoulder in case Tatsuya or any of his friends saw her or perhaps she could finally spot Shin before he had a chance to take her by surprise.

Over the phone, Shin hadn't sounded annoyed or bothered. Originally, Davina had planned to come off as more relaxed in her voice, but when he answered with "doushita?" the words spewed out short, quick and less intelligent than she had hoped. "Hachiko. Onegaishimasu." Before she could add to or redeem her statement, Shin had already replied, "wakatta." _Understood. _

Her throat had constricted at that moment and Davina could only end the call, unable to utter a single word. Waiting by Hachiko, she simply held her phone in her hand, worried about missing a call from Shin, but not willing to check the growing number of messages from her friends. Whenever her screen darkened, she would activate the menu by pressing a button to watch the time. Minutes dragged on for what seemed forever with Davina trying to calculate how long it would take for Shin to arrive.

She wasn't even sure what she was planning to tell him when he arrived. She'd rather not talk about it, but Davina couldn't predict if Shin were willing to leave it at that. Maybe she should cancel...before he got far away from home... The cursor on her phone rested on Shin's number, waiting for her to press 'send.' She sighed with hesitance then deactivated the menu. She had plenty of reasons to cancel, but only one not to cancel: she wanted to see Shin.

Her fingers continued to flex, but the tightness in her hands refused to relax. Davina resorted to people watching and noticed a small group of businessmen trying to be inconspicuous, but making obvious gawks at her and little murmurs to each other. By instinct her palm frantically smoothed over her hair and through her fringe. She turned her back to face away from the businessmen, hoping they would eventually move on. Sighing to calm the restlessness building within her, she checked the time on her phone once more, still not reading the growing number of messages from Jayla and Mira. Trying to zone out the noise of the dense crowds of people surrounding the street, Tatsuya's and the voices of his friends echoed in her memory.

_"Do you honestly believe that garbage is capable of any feat except crime?"_

"_I have my doubts."_

"_After the tutoring, you don't have to see Sawada again, right?_

_"I'd...rather you cut ties with Sawada after the tutoring."_

_"There's no reason a lovely girl like yourself should be with garbage like that, 3-D or Sawada. "_

Davina shuddered and nearly jumped out of her skin when someone's hands grasped hers. A familiar hand with a thumb ring—Shin. Remembering all the times Shin's hands had simply brushed along hers, she couldn't believe his hands were fully clasped around hers. His grip was firm yet Davina felt the strain lessen within the joints of her hands. She inhaled deeply, only to realize she had been previously holding her breath. Suddenly the harsh sounds of Shibuya roared around her and Davina remembered where she was.

Shin merely sat there next to her, carefully caressing her hands. When he first saw Davina, her exterior seemed mostly stoic, a little cold, but her hands were shaking. He was amazed she hadn't noticed him slip in next to her, but when had she ever noticed his entrances before? She was startled, but instantly calmed when he held her hand.

He peered down at her, waiting for her to lift her head. Davina gulped and slowly turned to face him. Shin's poker face was showing, but in his eyes he exhibited concern. Meanwhile Davina's expression was delicate and chary. Nothing needed to be said between them as Davina had feared. She suddenly realized that it was the first time she had seen him clad without a school uniform. She gulped again and slowly lifted her hands from his grip. Her fingers lightly glided around his waist and to his back and pulled Shin closer so she could rest her head on his chest. The fabric of his gray sweater felt soft on her cheek as she shut her eyes.

Slight recognition of the risk Davina was taking in the vulnerable state she was in caused her to stiffen and reopen her eyes, unsure if Shin were to reject her.

Shin felt her slight withdrawal. He peaked down and saw her hunched up with uncertainty. He figured it to be a fear of rejection. He heard Davina give a sharp intake of breath as his arms pulled her further into his embrace. After a moment, she relaxed and was simply held by him. Even with the rush of urban life around them, the loudest thing she heard was her own soft breathing against Shin's chest.

* * *

When Shin received her phone call, he was with Kuma, Minami, Noda, and Uchi at the pool hall. They had just broke into their second round when Shin's mobile phone rang. The boys had watched Shin's frozen expression, trying to predict who was on the other side. Their guesses were confirmed when Shin set his pool stick down and uttered, "Something happened. I'll see you later."

"Something bad?" Minami blurted before Shin climbed down the stairs.

"Not sure yet." Shin quickly responded to reassure his friends who were preparing to follow him. They watched Shin slide down the stairs and disappear out of the hall.

"Too bad about the game." Noda muttered, managing to get a head-jerk from his surrounding friends in agreement.

"Do you think we should go after him? Just in case." Kuma asked, resting his chin on the tip of his pool stick.

Uchi stretched before positioning his next shot. "It will be just them two. I don't think any of us can really help in _that_ sort." Each of the boys offered a groan as their agreement.

Silence fell over the table as the boys thought to themselves, coming up to their own conclusions as to why Davina had called him, and wishing it to go well for Shin.

* * *

Shin didn't go to Shibuya expecting any answers and it would have been insensitive of him to ask. He hadn't expected her to hug him though.

Her hands had stopped shaking and the rest of her appeared calmer. After Davina had embraced him, Shin noticed prying eyes from strangers, seeking glances at them interestedly. Davina peered up above Shin's arms and saw his attention occasional wonder and realized they were receiving some inappropriate stares from strangers. She abruptly pulled away from Shin's arms, pretending to be fixing her fringe to hid her blushing. "I'm...sorry, I didn't rea...I'm sorry." The words spewed out so fast she wasn't sure if he heard her clearly.

Fretful, Davina unzipped her purse and checked her phone; more messages from Jayla and Mira, too many now to check.

Shin rebalanced, having been partially distorted when Davina shoved back, and reached for her hand. Davina stopped with her phone, spotting Shin's serious face from the corner of her vision. His grip squeezed stronger than before. "Your hands were trembling," Shin murmured.

Davina finally turned to face him, leaning in to hear him speak. "What was that?"

It was the first time that night that Shin got a chance to get a good look at Davina. She was dressed rather nicely and her clothes weren't rustled in any sort. Her makeup around the eyes was slightly smudged, but no puffiness, redness, or tear-stained cheeks. No cuts, scraps, or any tenderness from what he could see on her arms and legs. Tsuchida hadn't laid a hand on her. Still, her movements were restless, more so than usual. That hug and that shove back were out of desperation; the girl had been through some serious stress.

"Shin?"

Shin blinked. Davina had scooted closer with a confused expression. When his eyes met hers, the apples of her cheeks turned to a soft pink. He remained silent and simply gazed at her, trying to think of what to do next.

Davina felt gutted by butterflies in her stomach, but her limbs didn't move her away from his gaze. His scent made her gulp and her eyes were fixed on his lips. She couldn't help but flinch when his head had slightly tilted toward hers. The awkwardness hit them both and Shin sighed as he flipped his hair from his brow. Davina slowly leaned away finally, piecing together what had happened since he arrived. She felt her hand squeezed and glanced up to see Shin stand up.

"Shall we go? Do you need to go home?"

Davina hesitated. Before she could reply, her stomach growled furiously, reminding her she hadn't eaten all day in anticipation. "Avoir un creux." She muttered to herself.

"Eh?" Shin groaned. It wasn't until Davina's arm wrapped over her stomach that Shin understood. "I know of a place." He lifted her hand to gesture for her to stand as well. Davina adjusted her bag strap and tossed her phone into her purse. It vibrated again to cue another received message in her inbox, probably from Mira and or Jayla.

* * *

The further away they got from Shibuya, the more color seeped back into Davina's complexion, Shin noted. After spending most of their trip in a daze, Davina was able to recognize with relief the same old train stop from whenever Shin walked her to Shirokin. She was gracious to leave the packed craziness of downtown Tokyo. The surrounding area of Shirokin was still plenty busy with open shops and pedestrians, but far less hectic. Off one of the streets that lead to Shirokin, Shin stopped suddenly in front of a ramen-ya and glanced through the windows. Davina couldn't help but grin at the thought that in an effort to calm her down, he had taken her to another ramen-ya, like the one on the night they had first met.

"Is ramen your favorite?" Davina asked in jest.

"One of my favorites, but since we're in the area, Kuma's family wouldn't let us eat anywhere else."

Kuma's family? "Huh? Kuma—?" Before Davina could finish her question, Shin had already stepped under the white banner with red lettering. Davina pulled the banner aside and stepped into the little restaurant. A large woman wearing a chef's outfit approached Shin in delight.

"Hungry Shin? Are the rest of the boys behind you? Tell my idiot son to come help me in the kitchen!"

To that comment, Shin smiled. She waved him towards the bar, but before she could turn away, Shin replied. "Actually, it will just be two, me and a friend." The woman and Shin turned their attentions to the entrance and saw Davina stepping through the banner. She immediately paused due to the addled expression of the woman but when Davina had a good look at her, it clicked in her head: that was Kuma's mother. Davina grinned and approached Shin while Kuma's mother's eyes followed with intrigue, her delight muted. After another second of eying the girl from head to toe then back at Shin, Kuma's mother cheerily sighed. "Sah, two bowls of ramen, ne?"

"Onegaishimasu." Davina slightly bowed her head. Kuma's mother gave another quick exhale of breath, "hai, dozo, dozo!" swaying an arm towards the bar, then rushed to the kitchen.

"She could only be Kuma's mother..." Davina uttered to herself, not expecting Shin to hear, but he managed to smirk.

The restaurant was sparse; a few bachelors were sitting off to the side near the wall. Shin heard them whisper to each other about the "red-headed girl," but Davina was too busy pouring him a cup of tea to pay attention. After she shoved the steaming cup in front of him, Shin filled her empty cup.

Like the first night she had met Shin, the tea warmed her insides and she instantly felt better. Shin's chin rested on his interlaced fingers, listening to her slurping her tea. Again, he was satisfied that the shivers in her hands and the paleness on her face were gone. She took his cup back and refilled it.

"See, I'm learning. I don't ever pour for myself anymore." Davina said, ignoring disorientation of the former situation. Shin was plenty ready to ask her what happened. However, he decided to wait for her to relax for a while before.

Over the bar, Kuma's mother and father were whispering animatedly to each other while preparing the food.

"Friend, eh?"

"I've never seen hair like that before, you think it's fake?"

"She seems lovely enough, though seeing him alone with her is a little strange. I never knew him to be interested."

"You go deliver the bowls."

"Me? I don't know..."

Shin fought the urge to acknowledge their statements, but was able to give a sincere 'thank you' as Kuma's father placed two beautiful glass bowls of ramen in front of the two teenagers.

"Itadakimasu." Davina confidently broke apart her chopsticks and dipped them into the steaming bowl of ramen.

"Dozo." Kuma's father quickly shied away, catching glassy eyes with Shin before he returned to the kitchen.

"You can tell they're Kuma's parents. Especially his mother." Davina said in between chews. Davina imagined that she appeared fine, but in reality she was annoyed with herself that she apparently needed to make small talk when there were other pressing matters. She still could barely face Shin after she had embarrassed herself and hugged him. Her ability to speak in Japanese was still limited to mostly small talk and she wouldn't bring up her night with Tatsuya unless Shin asked her. Shin didn't seem curious, otherwise he probably would have asked her. Jayla and Mira desperately wanted to know, judging by the now innumerable amount of messages on her phone.

She shyly glanced at Shin as he ate his ramen in silence. Even if he did ask, what would she tell him? _Um, yeah, they called you, Yankumi and all of 3-D trash..._

"Davina?"

She clenched her chopsticks tightly. "Huh? Oh..."

She squeezed her hand into a fist to stop from shaking. Shin set his chopsticks on his bowl top and took his cup as he leaned back in his chair. "Something wrong?"

Davina gulped, but pretended to be occupied with her ramen. "Betsu ni...nothing."

_Certainly not true, judging by the way her hands quivered. _Shin sipped his tea. "You called me for a reason."

Davina briefly froze. After sighing, she paired her chopsticks, placed them on her bowl, and then turned to face Shin's serious concern. Her worries of repeating Tatsuya's words were overwhelming; she sighed again to remain collected. "Really, now I look back and it's not such a big deal anymore."

Loud running steps caused them both to twist around and before Shin could reply or protest, Kuma, Minami, Uchi, and Noda filled the gap at the door. Each of them cursed as they filed through under the banner. It was the first time she had seen them in regular clothes, instead of their uniforms.

The bachelors peered over their shoulders cautiously, stiffening their previously casual positions. Minami flicked his finger at Shin. "Nah, Shin, you should have _told _us you were coming here!"

Uchi sat on Shin's other side, smoothing his hair. "Believe it or not, Kuma's parents gave us the call."

"Didn't believe it at first." Noda added, filling up another seat on the bar. "Came here to see for ourselves."

"Parents said you were on a date. Shocked us for a moment, figured you could ditch us for a girl, but we realized you were with Davina. _Aka-chan_, they had called her."

The boys laughed to themselves. "Ne, you two picked the least social area to sit. A table would suit us all better."

"We chose this spot because we weren't expecting extra company." Shin murmured to himself.

Davina held her tea cup to her lips and felt the steam on the bridge of her nose and cheeks. Shin wasn't thrilled to see them, but Davina wouldn't let herself fret yet. She had hung out with these boys before; they have never done anything to make her uncomfortable.

Uchi nudged Shin as the other boys leaned in to listen. "Hey, did she tell you what happened?

"She's sitting right there..." Shin replied, openly annoyed.

"But did she tell you?" Noda spat, lowering his voice even further.

"Not before you lot came." Shin responded. They all glanced away, befuddled.

"Ne, Dabina-chan," Minami pressed himself on the bar to see Davina next to Shin.

Davina's eyes widened a bit and she tilted slightly to see the rest of the rest of the boys by Shin.

"Did ya ditch the wise-asses of 3-C to hang out with the better crowd?" Minami puffed his cheeks in jesting pride.

Davina straightened and simpered at his remark. "It would seem so, huh?" She turned away again, pretending to be focused on her ramen. The boys didn't notice her withdrawal, except Shin. Before he could say anything, Kuma's father walked by.

"Ah, the rest of you came! So that'll be four more bowls of ramen then." He adjusted his falling hat from his brows. "Teruo, come help me in the kitchen."

"Shut up..." Kuma muttered viciously. "I'm with my friends and we want to be left alone."

Davina's jaw slightly dropped. Kuma actually said that to his _father_? Kuma's father lips thinned and his ears turned red.

"Speak for yourself, I'm starving!" Minami slapped Kuma's back, lightening up the situation.

"Four bowls! Onegaishimasu!" Uchi grinned, holding up an arm, waving four fingers. "Ah, wait, Kuma, should we order another four bowls for you?"

"Shut up!" Kuma yanked Uchi back into a choke hold, however Uchi continued to laugh along with his other friends. The bachelors from the other table slowly scrambled up, ready to flee if the situation worsened.

"Teruo! Stop it, I say!" Kuma's father exclaimed.

Kuma's cheeks blew up in size, but he reluctantly let go of his blond friend. Uchi fixed the collar of his shirt, still smirking at Kuma. Kuma's father cursed to himself with a half-amused expression as he headed back into the kitchen, "I swear, he's not mine."

Davina couldn't comprehend it. Kuma's father _didn't _put him six feet under? Sure, he seemed angry, but that was worst of it. Maybe he didn't want to yell at Kuma in front of his friends... If he were her father...she doubted that he would mind yelling at her and allowing people to believe that he condoned that sort of behavior from his daughter.

"Gah, my father, such an old man. Why can't he just leave me alone?" Kuma groaned.

The bar areas quietened to where the only noise came from bubbling from the kitchen. With her father's face plastered in her mind, Davina slowly spoke up. "Your father isn't bad. My father...never allowed me talk to him like that. I really don't understand." The bubbling and boiling from the kitchen grew louder, the tension building in their corner. Shin's thumb glided down his bottom lip; she had never mentioned her parents before.

Kuma, whose cheeks were still puffed, balled his hands into fists in his lap. His lips thinned and his voice rose in volume as he blurted out. "What was that? Don't you talk about things you don't understand—

"Kuma!" Shin bellowed harshly, bringing Kuma to a halt. The two boys met eyes for a moment but then Kuma retracted, sitting his bottom into his seat.

Davina's blood boiled inside, and feeling the five pressing stares next to her, she severely bit her lip. She didn't want to leave just yet. She wanted to say something, anything. _Kuma, my anger was not directed at you. Please don't believe that I think you're trash. Don't any of you believe that! Please don't misunderstand... _The air became too thick to breathe. Four guys and a girl is a crowd, five guys and a girl is a crowd. Davina reached into her purse, and pulled out a ¥1,000 note. She dropped the note next to her half unfinished bowl of ramen, forcing herself not to look at Shin.

_Don't worry, after Monday, you won't have to deal with me again_, Davina strode and swept the banner with a hard flick of her arm too fast for her to decipher the thought into Japanese.

After digesting the initial shock of Davina rushing out, Shin, without uttering a word to his friends, stood from his chair and bolted from the restaurant. When Shin disappeared from their sights, the boys turned back to the deep, enveloped in silence for a few moments.

"Ne...what the hell was that?" Uchi pondered, keying for his friends' input.

"Kuma probably hit a nerve." Noda answered, sighing while setting his chain on his palm.

"She hit my nerve!" Kuma barked. "Bringing up her father, like she can relate!"

"Calm down, Kuma," Minami patted Kuma's shoulder. "Maybe we shouldn't have come, Shin seemed like he had a decent handle on the situation."

The boys nodded their heads.

"We'll wait for Monday to find out what happened then." Noda added. "Hopefully, we didn't screw it up for Shin."

* * *

Davina fumbled with her phone while taking fast, and unstable steps towards the station, towards _home! _Jayla and Mira could understand her and give her a listen. They knew what it was like to be the odd one. They wouldn't judge—

She groaned harshly as she was halted by a severe tug on her arm. She knew it was Shin, even before he circled around to face her. Davina heard Mira's voice from the speaker 'Hello? Davina?' before she pushed the 'end' button.

Davina didn't bother to guess what Shin was going to say. She considered just ignoring him and leaving, but she realized his hand still gripped her arm.

Her forehead just inches from his chest and poker face, he uttered simply "doushita?"

She bit her lip It wasn't worth upsetting Shin or being misunderstood because her Japanese wasn't good enough. "Nothing." Davina nudged her arm for him to release but his grip remained tight.

"You walked out. For what reason?" Shin provoked.

Davina's throat tightened. Lucky guess. Still feeling his grip, she answered, "I heard some things that I didn't want to hear, alright?"

Her monotone voice was forced, Shin noted. The way she left the restaurant when Kuma started getting agitated was for desperation and self-protection. In Shibuya before, he had concluded Tsuchida hadn't physically harmed her.

"What did Tsuchida say?" He asked slowly for her sake. His grip never loosened.

"Not just him. Akihito, Kazuo, and...Haruki." Memory of his jeers made her twitch.

Inoue, Haruki? Did those three just show up or had Tsuchida planned for them to arrive? "Was it planned?"

Davina recalled the expression of pure surprise on his face when they arrived at their table and his building agitation afterward. She didn't doubt he was an innocent bystander in his friend's scheming, but he was guilt by association when he said those words to her... "Not planned. Definitely not."

Shin exhaled; he really didn't need to ask what they had said. The fact that Tsuchida's friends showed up already explained why Davina left soon after his friends came to the restaurant. His hand loosened on her arm and trailed down to her hand, her fingers stopped quivering. "Why did you walk out?"

Davina stared at her hand in his. "They said, 3-D won't save Noda's teacher from being fired. Tatsuya said...cut ties with Sawada."

She didn't dare see his expression. At first she wanted to wait for a reply, but words spewed from her mouth like vomit. "I'm so sorry, Shin—"

"Why be sorry?" Shin's deep timbre voice responded, interrupting her apology. "You didn't listen to him, right? You called me and you're here with me, right? Why feel guilty?"

An internal weight was lifted within her and the fretting sensation wishing for her to flee had evaporated. Davina's eyes slowly moved from her hand in his to his set. Shin had come after her and Tatsuya hadn't. Her stomach ached with nerves and the roof her mouth grew dry. The nerves in her stomach clenched when she realized that she could feel his breath against her cheek. Shin whisked away hair from his brow and squeezed Davina's hand. He titled his head toward hers and Davina shut her eyes to wait, the butterflies fluttering painfully in her stomach.

A generic ringtone rang, abruptly bringing them both back to reality. Shin sighed as he twisted back to answer the phone in his jacket. Davina opened her eyes and fixed her fringe, slightly blushing.

"Uchi?" Shin had his back towards Davina with his head slightly ducked. "We're not far. We're fine. No, I don't think so. No, I don't think she would want—

_She? _Davina suddenly came forward and grasped his elbow. "Hold it. Wait."

"One second." Shin slowly turn around and faced Davina with his cell phone pressed to his ear.

Davina inhaled a deep breath and slowly allowed her words out. "If they don't mind..." She could hear Uchi's subtle murmurs of confusion from Shin's speaker. She gripped the strap of her bag tightly and slightly squeezed Shin's arm as if to give her reassurance. "I'd like to go back."

Her voice was just above a whisper, but Shin heard her loud and clear. He blinked and ducked his head to answer Uchi's repeated shouts for a response, but Davina saw his lips barely curve before his hair fell over his face. She let go of his arm and stared at the pavement while she heard him mumble fast words to Uchi.

Shin ended the call then flipped his hair away again before shoving his hands into his pockets. Before he said anything, Davina turned around on her own accord. Surprised by her boldness, Shin grinned at her back before following her.

Davina brisked too quickly for her nerves to gather the depth of the situation. She swept the banner as she stepped through, hearing her shoes clap against the floor. Uchi was still holding his mobile when she approached the bar. They each slowly turned back to see her before she retook her seat. She grabbed her chopsticks and had a full bite of still-warm ramen. She still felt their intrigued stares at her side, but she ignored them.

Shin finally moseyed into the room, visibly taking his sweet time. Davina heard Shin's chair scrap back as he pulled it and she knew he was there. He too grabbed his chopsticks and continued eating his ramen as though nothing had happened.

The bachelors at the other table were cocking their eyebrows at the scene, unsure what to think. Minami was the first to move, leaning back in his chair, to gesture to Kuma. He nudged Kuma in the shoulder until Kuma let out an annoyed yelp, "Fine!"

Shin and Davina stopped eating, mid-slurp.

"Dabina-chan, gomen." Kuma gave a slight, forced bow of his head.

Davina swallowed her bite of ramen and smiled at Kuma. "Don't worry about it."

Kuma's face become less red and other boys whooped. Kuma rubbed his stomach and drummed on the bar. "Old lady, old man! Where's our ramen?"

"Na, Kuma, will there be any left for us?" Uchi remarked, snidely.

"_Nani? _What was meant by that asshole?" Kuma flared the whites of his eyes at Uchi.

"Big-guy," Minami put his arms around Kuma. "We ordered our own ramen."

Kuma's mother glared at him through the steam of the kitchen. With a loud _clang _she set the bowls on the counter, but after doing so, she gave a quick slap on the side of Kuma's head. "Agh, who does he take after?" She twitched her neck, then smiled at the boys, "Hai, dozo!"

Minami, Uchi, and Kuma inhaled the steam of their food gleefully, while Noda left his spot to pull an idle chair from an empty table to sit between Shin and Davina. From his jacket, he revealed his leaf-green English book. As his flipped the pages, Davina was at awe at the growing wear, tear, and dog-eared pages.

"Just a quick question...which page was it...?" Noda mumbled to himself as he searched through his book.

The other boys groaned at the sight of Noda's book. Uchi stretched his arms behind his head, "I swear, after that exam, I'm going to _burn _that book."

"Monday is the final tutoring day." Noda responded into his book.

"Is Dabina-chan fine with seeing Tsuchida for tutoring on Monday?" Minami asked, chewing his food while leaning to see Davina's response.

"If Dabina-chan wishes, we can make sure Tsuchida and his friends know they aren't welcome?" Uchi chimed in, cracking his knuckles in a fist.

Davina blinked then sipped her tea, allowing herself time to consider. Shin peered slightly to his right to see her reaction to Minami's question. Her hands remained still, no quivering, he noted.

Just an hour ago, maybe Davina could have gotten agitated at such a question and considerations of the possibility of seeing Tatsuya again. However, even Davina was surprised at how the idea of seeing Tatsuya again wasn't nerve-racking in the least. The concerning stares from the five boys she had known only for a short time had killed any and all intimidation. She set her teacup down, unable to cover up her smile.

"Monday tutoring will go on as usual." She declared then turned to Noda and the section he pointed out in the book.

Shin looked to his right and saw Davina and Noda engrossed with an English question. Shin then looked to his left and saw Uchi, Minami, and Kuma chat casually while devouring their ramen. Shin returned his attention to his bowl. For the rest of their time spent to the ramen-ya, Shin remained introverted, too satisfied to say a word.

* * *

Davina couldn't remember for certain how the situation came about.

"_I'm taking Davina home."_

"_Ohhh, Shin, where does Dabina-chan live?"_

"_I wanna see!"_

"_Ambassador's estate..."_

"_Fancy businessmen digs..."_

"_I WANNA SEE!"_

Shin hadn't told them it was an army base. He never really gave the boys permission to tag along, but Davina didn't have any problem with them, and he didn't bother to stop them. All the way to Minato-ku, the boys were excitedly making their guesses.

"Private movie theater? You think Dabina-chan will let us watch the new releases?

"Free or not, they would be in English without Japanese subtitles."

"Hey, do you think she'll let us take our dates to the private movie theater?"

"Sah! I bet we could get girls really easy if we told them we had a private movie theater."

Davina shook her head to herself while she listened to their conversation as they walked towards Roppongi. Private movie theater? Where did they hear such things? As they strolled through the city, the boys walked on in front even though they weren't sure of where they were going, while Shin and Davina strayed on behind.

"Sure is far..." Kuma whined.

Noda stopped to wait for Davina and Shin. "Neh, Dabina-chan, wouldn't the train-stop in Roppongi be faster?"

"Also, wouldn't the main street be quicker? These off-streets are boring anyway." Uchi chimed in.

Davina bit her lip and slowly turned to see Shin. Shin seemed unfazed, his poker face going strong. So, Shin hadn't told them about that night...

Noda, Uchi, Minami, and Kuma were still waiting for an answer, but Shin continued to walk, not answering and not giving any evidence of Davina's terrible association with Roppongi. Davina awkwardly followed behind Shin, avoiding the puzzled looks on the boys' faces. Eventually, the boys continued on, knowing their questions were simple and the reasons they weren't receiving answers weren't so simple.

* * *

The boys gazed up through the gates at the large 1950's décor white building. They read the sigh, "haadi barakusu."

"_Iiyo na, _Dabina-chan." They mused to her while Davina searched her bag for her military ID.

"Does this mean that Dabina-chan's parents are in business?" Noda pried his eyes away from the view to ask Shin.

Shin shook his head. "Nope, the military."

"_Military?_" Kuma pondered, matching the same interested face of his friends. Davina is a military-child? They finally spotted the glares they were receiving from the white-gloved guards. They all watched as Davina handed her card to the military officer. He quickly returned it and politely said, "you're free to enter Ms. Summons."

At first glance, Davina a military-brat? Her? They all had seen military-personnel in movies. Tough, stern, fierce. Davina, the ballerina who had danced for their class just a few days prior was not quickly identified with such insensitive characteristics.

After a short pause when Davina replaced her ID into her bag, judging by the silence, it was apparent that it was time to say goodnight.

"Will I see you Monday?" Davina asked Shin a little too soft because she was slightly embarrassed, gripping the handle of her purse tightly. She tilted her neck and pretended to be fixing her fringe so that the lighting above wouldn't show her blushing.

"Most likely. Even if I miss school, I'll come get ya." Shin stepped closer, but he peeked over his shoulder at Uchi, Noda, Kuma, and Minami. _Oh, _they all thought. Maybe they should leave them two alone...?

"Say, Dabina-chan, show us around sometime, ok?" Minami began, giving a slight wave of his hand, paving the way for the others.

"See you Monday." Uchi and Kuma added.

Noda held up his book. "Thank you for answering my question. See you Monday."

The boys then made a swift exit down the hill, softly mentioning about waiting for Shin at the intersection.

Grasping one of the bars for balance support, Davina watched the boys leave in order to avoid, if only temporarily, the impending goodnight to Shin. Her stomach had whirled when he hadn't left with the rest of them and now the butterflies were circling her torso. Why was he staying...? But of course, she didn't want him to leave! Oh, why was she so nervous? Why was she grasping the bar so tightly? Was she expecting something...?

She felt a soft tug on her hand and turned to see Shin, standing against the light, loosely holding her hand. His thumb gently brushed over her fingers before he released her hand entirely. His face was in darkness as he pulled Davina closer to him by her waist. Her cheek pressed against his chest; she could smell his lovely scent within the fibers of his sweater. Her arms snaked under his and up his back to pull him closer. His finger trips were tangled in the ends of her hair and his chin pressed along her temple.

"You never did answer my question: why feel sorry?" Shin inquired softly.

Davina smiled into his sweater. Was he referring to when she profusely apologized for hugging him in public and when he explained how she had already defied Tatsuya's wishes? "What if I'm not sorry anymore? Do I still have to answer?"

She could feel Shin's smile against her temple. "No, not really." He murmured.

Davina wasn't sure how long he held her there, but after what seemed like a relatively short amount of time, Shin's grip loosened and they parted. To give her hands something to do, Davina held the strap of her bag firmly. "See you Monday. Oyasuminasai."

Shin reset his hands into his pockets. "Oyasuminasai."

As Davina spun on her heel, she heard a faint whisper, "O-Aka-chan." She halted with a stomp, her mouth slightly open, but when she finally turned around to confirm it, Shin was already walking away. Davina shook her head and rolled her eyes. She watched him until he was fairly away before she entered the military base with a skip in her step.

Shin couldn't help but notice the glaring suspicion from the guards as he left the gates. He also couldn't deny the inevitable bombardment of questions from his friends when he reached the intersection. Kuma, Uchi, Noda, and Minami were sitting on the curb, chatting when he found them.

"Ikuzo." He uttered to them, which led to the abrupt end of whatever their previous conversation was and began the thousand questions Shin had to endure for the rest of the night.

"I sure hope you made a smart move—you two were up there alone for quite a _while_." Uchi mused, gazing at the sky with a sigh.

"Nothing happened. Stop asking." Shin muttered, knowing he wouldn't hear the end of it.

"So you say, Shin. We've been to enough parties with you to know you're a heart-breaker." Minami chimed in.

Where do they get such ideas? Shin blinked to himself and not answering, effectively ignoring that comment.

"Military parents, huh?" Kuma thought out loud. "Do you think that explains...her comments earlier?"

Ah, yes, it all suddenly made sense. If her father was a militant, then it could provide backing for her not being able to understand being disrespectful to parents. If his father had military training, Kuma thought...he admitted that he probably wouldn't mess with him either.

"Yo, Shin? Are you going to tell us why we avoided Roppongi station and the main streets?" Noda pointed out again, successful in putting the rest of their questions to a standstill. All of them were curious about that.

Shin shrugged. "The main streets are busy. It's a matter of safety." He hadn't lied or misled them, however they were quick to be unsatisfied.

"You worry like an elderly man, Shin." Minami chided. "Hey," he nudged Noda. "Do you all think she'll let us bring our dates to their private theater?"

The boys spent the rest of the way home indulging in their plans to invite girls to a private showing of a movie not yet released in Japan—it was an American base right? They would surely get movies before the rest of Japan.

Shin gladly excused himself out of the conversation. He doubted there was a private theater, but didn't want to be the 'heart-breaker' who informed them all otherwise. He hadn't expected such an eventful night—he was always saying that whenever it concerned Davina. Shin had before figured it was him who had weaved his way into her life, yet he realized that it was reverse. A telephone call from Davina had deranged a night with his friends where they were just supposed to play pool. He also hadn't expected his friends to personally ask the crucial questions about his association with Davina. Even since reuniting, he hadn't figured those questions would ever have a chance to come up.

Smart move? Technically, it had first been her move. Though...Shin still remembered the soft texture of her hair and the weight of her head on his chest. He also vividly remembered how her hands shook until his soothed hers. Shin admittedly didn't have all the answers of what exactly occurred, however Davina had been severely upset. Monday tutoring would continue as usual and he'd make sure of that.

* * *

Had a lot of false alarms, huh? *devilish smirk* Though this chapter is a bit shorter than the last several, I hope you're not disappointed. And to answer -black-.x.-rabbit-'s question of when: of course I can't say if it will even happen. I can't make it easy for them, ya know. Do you think I'm being too mean to Davina? ;)

Thank you for reading and please review! Even if you don't, I promise not to keep the next chapter hostage.


	11. Chapter 11: English Midterm

I'm not sure how many of you are writers, but have you ever written something and just had to _awww_ for a few moments? I had a bunch of those while writing this one. Please excuse my delay on finishing this chapter. Some real life issues, some major writer's block and even some laziness. I owe thanks to Cheri, -black-.x.-rabbit- , shugochara119, kc, darkredcrystal, Makaia, bethspore4, and Freaky_Blaze! Thank you all for being so supportive! Btw, I completely understand any and all frustration you may have towards me for not getting this chapter out in a timely manner. I promise you, this story is not dead! Also, this chapter is a long one, so I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Eleven

* * *

Davina's mother removed her reading glasses to rub her tired eyes. Shutting the folder and placing it next to her tea on the coffee table, she glanced at the hanging clock, wondering if it were a decent time to call her sister in France. Her younger sister, Cerise, blessed with red hair, had always joked that Davina was meant to be her daughter.

"Oh, Esmée, when is my niece coming to visit us?_ Maman _wants to see her grand-baby as a grown young lady."

You all could visit us for a change, Esmée would roll her eyes while holding the phone, never giving herself the satisfaction of actually saying that to her sister—or anyone in her family who so _terribly_ missed her. She was the one who left home after all, which meant it was her job to make the time and money to visit, right?

Summer vacation was coming up soon for Davina. Esmée could go with her and they could spend some time visiting her family near the south of France. Esmée shut her eyes and imagined the clear blue water of the Mediterranean. It really had been too long since their last visit.

When she had been last thinking about going home, they were in New York, but then the move to Japan came out of no where. Esmée had expected, especially after September 11th, to be shipped off somewhere. She knew her husband had wiggled himself out of moving his family to the Middle East, but a move had been inevitable. It wasn't until they began moving, yet again, overseas that Esmée began to realize how exhausted she was from relocating every few years. Her own daughter had missed out on a lot because the all the moving. Luckily, Davina had shown to be very resilient, perhaps more resilient than Esmée, in making the adjustments.

Speaking of Davina... Esmée stood and entered the hall towards her daughter's room. From the hall's entrance, near the kitchen area, Esmée heard loud and pronounced statements in Japanese. Curious, she knocked then peaked her head into her daughter's room. With massive headphones sitting on her ears, Davina was dressed for bed with a Japanese workbook in front of her. Davina heard her door creak and smiled at her mother when she saw her.

Hold everything...Esmée froze. Her daughter? Was _studying_? On a Saturday night? Not practicing her dancing? She rubbed her eyes and took in the image of her daughter, not stretching for ballet precision, and studying a school subject on her own leisure. More shocking, Davina's expression was calm, relaxed and not showing any displeasure. Oh, Esmée needed to sit down for this.

Esmée sat down on the edge of Davina's bed, shadowed by the light of the desk lamp, just glancing over Davina's notes."School project?" She offered as a rational reason.

Davina's attention never lifted from the book. "Nope...just practicing to get the hang of it."

Thank goodness she was sitting. Esmée cocked an eyebrow while her daughter concentrated on the grammar explanation in the textbook. "That daughter of yours is acting strange lately." Her husband had muttered one early morning. Acting strange didn't necessarily mean acting _badly._ Davina had never defied their wishes even while she if she grimaced while studying instead of practicing dancing like she wanted. Perhaps their insistence of Davina attending university had finally sunk into to their daughter's stubborn head. "You can dance in college," Esmée had said like a broken record whenever Davina insisted on auditioning for the dance academy in New York.

Esmée was still skeptical, but she wouldn't discourage Davina's effort. She brushed pieces of her fringe away from her temple, taking another moment to try to read Davina's notes. All in Japanese, except for the examples in English. Judging by the grammar complexities, Davina's Japanese was probably better than hers now. She fought back a smile.

Davina was resilient, adaptable, and more capable than she could ever give herself credit. Due to the lifestyle Esmée and her husband had provided for Davina, their daughter had grown a thicker skin. As parents who as children had been raised in a single home until they were of age, had doubts about moving Davina every few years. Suffocated by the surroundings of their origins, Esmée and her husband longed for the jet-lifestyle. As a mother, Esmée wondered if Davina would have prospered living in a single town or city for the whole of her childhood, dancing under the care of a particular dance studio. Davina had been particularly upset when the move to Japan was announced, after being sure that she would finish high school in New York. When Davina realized she couldn't audition for the dance academy that winter, Esmée didn't see much of her daughter. She often wondered, whenever Davina was particularly distant, if she still resented her for the sudden move far East?

Esmée watched as her daughter mouthed the sentences softly with her pen as a guild for each of the characters. She leaned away, not wanting to disturb Davina. She checked the time again, decent enough to call Europe. She grinned and quietly exited Davina's room just as Davina's mobile rang.

She blinked and reached for her bag on her bed. Davina sighed as she read the caller id. She bit her lip and answered. "Moshimosh?"

"You are so lucky we didn't report you missing!" Jayla's voice screeched from the speaker.

"You completely left us hanging! Inhumane and unreasonable!" Mira added, her tone matching Jayla's frustration.

Davina figured they were in their own homes, probably either sitting at their computer desks or on their beds like her. "I'm working on my Japanese." She responded softly.

"Eh?" Jayla reacted. "But...wh—?"

"Jayla, do you mind if we get together tomorrow and practice? Your Japanese is better than any non-native I know." Davina added, glossing her fingers over the pen marks on her notebook, coloring her fingertips with black ink.

"Uh...sure." Jayla's voice sounded tenderly in the speaker. "On one condition though."

"Name it."

"You tell me and Mira what happened tonight." Mira added a confirming 'ehn.'

Her stomach whirled however, she expected they'd want to know. Davina's arms shivered, remembering the width of Shin's waist. However, she cleared her throat and answered. "Deal."

* * *

Nearly hidden by a large stack of books, Davina scribbled quickly in her notebook, mouthing softly to herself, her eyes glued to the page. Jayla considered waving her hand to call her friend's attention, but just adjusted her hat. The sun glared above her, causing Jayla to squint as she crossed the road.

Mira hadn't shown up yet, as Jayla had expected. It would be another ten minutes before Mira would leave her house and twenty before she would cruise by the table with a cheeky smile acknowledging that she knew she was tardy. Jayla didn't mind really. It was a lazy Sunday. Judging by how Davina was bent over in her notes, she didn't look like she cared either.

A waiter approached Jayla and she ordered iced coffee. Originally she had thought of ordering something warm but it was too pleasant of a day. Davina didn't peer up as Jayla stood at the opposite end of the table. Jayla smirked as she pulled back a patio chair, causing Davina to finally lift her head.

Davina smiled at Jayla as she put down her pen to reach for her coffee mug. She brought the cup to the lips, sipped and twitched with displeasure. She quickly set the cup aside and shut her notebook.

"Something on your mind?" Jayla removed her sun glasses and stashed them in her purse.

Davina's eyebrows lifted. "What makes you say that?"

Jayla's nails clicked one by one on the glass table. She tilted her head, making Davina awkward as the red-head straightened, feeling accused. "Lets see," Jayla pointed to the books, "you have a stack of text-books taller than Mira. This coming from the girl who avoids carrying even a few books home at all cost. I don't even want to think of how you lunged all those here."

Davina nearly shook her head and set her hand on her stack of books. She didn't remember bringing _this _many...

"Normally, you down your coffee while it is still steaming." Jayla squeezed Davina's coffee mug. "Your cup is ice cold and it's half full." Davina didn't bother looking to her cup. Maybe she'd order more coffee later.

"And you were studying and scribbling on the side of the pages in your notebook, which you only do in class when you're not paying attention." Davina's mouth slid open to say something, but she sighed instead. How long had Jayla been watching her?

"Yes, general, I'm just focused on improving my Japanese is all." Davina tucked a loose strand of hair to her ear.

Jayla laughed and shook her head. "What or _who_ you're focused on is 5'10'', with messy black hair." When Jayla motioned the shape of Shin's hair in the air with her hands, Davina bit her lip and hid her face in her hands to cover her blushing. She leaned back into her chair and set her arms on the rests. Her cheeks burned and she could feel her blood racing. "You can't even deny it." Jayla added.

The waiter set Jayla's glass down smoothly and Jayla wrapped a napkin around the cup and sipped her coffee. The moment of silence while Jayla enjoyed her coffee was enough for Davina to relax a bit.

She picked at her nails to gather her words. It hadn't even been a full day since Shin's palm graced along her fingers.

"Davina?"

Davina's hands separated. "Hmmm?"

"Nothing, your face went red again all of a sudden." Jayla eyed her, knowingly. She rested her elbows on the table to lean forward. "So, what happened last night?"

Davina bit her lip and slightly fretful, she stroked her hair. She remembered feeling dazed and startled by Shin's grasp of her shaking hands. She couldn't remember how she had done it, but she pulled him closer into an embrace. Later, she remembered pressing her temple against the cold bars surrounding the Hardy Barracks, knowing Shin had shooed his friends away to be alone with her. It seemed she had waited forever until he tugged her hand back so she could face him.

She pointed and relaxed her toes in her shoes. "He hugged me." Davina nodded her head, as if to reassure herself. "I know it sounds stupid. I mean, it was just a hug and it was after I had hugged him when I was upset that the date with Tatsuya was so wrong. My hands were shaking so badly that he held them until I was calm. Again, it sounds so stupid now that I'm talking about it."

Jayla fought to not smile and or slap Davina into reality. Jayla had to admit, Shin, if she remembered his name correctly, sounded sweet. She watched as Davina nervously picked at her nails and smoothed her hair. Jayla had much more relationship experience than Davina so she recognized the need to be self-preserving. "It's _not_ stupid. Davina, do you like him?" She definitely already knew the answer, but figuring out if Davina knew was much more important.

Davina leaned back into her chair, suddenly feeling heavy. Her arms pressed hard against the rests meanwhile the butterflies scattered painfully in her gut and her heart thumped so quickly her head went slightly dizzy. After a few deep breaths, she stared back at Jayla somberly. "I suppose this is what it feels like. Yes, I do."

Jayla pressed her back to her chair. Wow, she thought. She had never imagined having this conversation with Davina on her end. Davina had listened to Mira's and Jayla's stories of lovesickness. Now Davina was lovesick and she held her composure seriously instead of bubbly with happiness.

It was just then that Jayla noticed the gray bags under Davina's eyes. She was obviously thinking too much into this. Again, Jayla knew all about analyzing _every_ detail of interacting with a boy she liked. Looking for the signs that he liked her back, but trying not to be too imaginative for the sake of being vulnerable to rejection.

Davina continued pointing and relaxing her toes, staring away from Jayla's concerned expression. "I do like Shin, but I don't know why."

Jayla blinked. "Why do you need a reason?"

Davina _shrugged._ Wow, Jayla thought again. Davina sighed, struggling to verbalize her thoughts. "It's not a big deal really. He's the first guy I've ever been like that with. He's protective, so I guess I enjoy that."

"Do you even know what you are talking about?" Jayla projected.

Davina scanned the patio. It was a lovely warm May Sunday so almost every table was occupied. And so far, all of the occupants had sneaked interested glances at both of them. It was because of Davina's red hair and Jayla's dark skin, whenever they were together, there were always stares. Jayla didn't seem to notice. "I'm used to being the odd-one out." Jayla had said once.

She imagined Shin. Yes, she liked the idea of him. In practical terms, could she really harbor feelings for him and actually act on them? Would he care if he knew how she felt? She wasn't even sure if she would see him again after Monday. Could she handle not seeing him again? The depth of that scenario hadn't really sunk it. The knot in her stomach beckoned that the idea needed time to marinate. She had spent most of her time in Japan without Shin, easily. She could easily continue to live her life without him.

"Shin," Davina sighed, it was odd talking about him. "He isn't exactly..." Images of her parents' face flashed in her head and the idea of her parents knowing Shin wouldn't fit. What would her father think? What would her mother say? They both had given detailed description on what kind of boy they _didn't_ want her to date. They had always pushed her towards _nice_ boys. Her father had never actually wanted her to date, but he wanted her to like the characteristics of the boys he approved of. She could imagine what her father would spat about: why does he slouch so much? Why does he look sleepy all the time? Why doesn't he get a haircut? Who are his parents? Does he come from a nice family? Does he do well in school? Does he stay out of trouble? How do you know him? _Why him?_

Davina's mother always subtly insisted that she would give any guy a chance if Davina cared enough about him. Davina, however, knew her mother to be very judgmental at times, sometimes worse than her father. A bad first impression would sting Davina's mother no matter how good person was otherwise.

"Well, what do you think of Shin?" Davina continued.

Jayla's eyes widened; she hadn't expected the question. "What? Well, I haven't seen much of him to be honest. He seems nice enough. If he is what you want, I'll support you. And I'm sure Mira, _whenever she decides to get here_, will gladly join me in supporting you."

Davina glanced away narrowly. Jayla's words weren't all that comforting. Good intentioned, but unsatisfying.

Jayla sighed softly and finished her coffee. "He's not who your parents expect, I'm guessing?"

Davina's lips curved slightly.

Jayla didn't wait for a response. "Does the fact that he is Japanese have anything to do with it?"

Davina continued flexing her toes, imagining introducing Shin to her wishful parents. Shin would be sincere and polite. Her parents wouldn't be impolite. Her father would either have a strained simper because of Shin's formality or he would wear his blank 'sergeant face' to hide his dissatisfaction. Goodness, the questions her father would interrogate Shin with _that_ blunt tone. Shin would probably continue to be polite, but surely, internally, he would be uncomfortable.

Davina's mother would probably mutter to Davina in French asking possibly appropriate questions but be ultimately trying to make Davina rethink everything. _Does he speak English ? Not fluently? Oh, well then how to do you two communicate? _Davina then could point out that question was hypocritical because her father didn't speak French when he first thought of proposing to her a long time ago. However, Davina wouldn't say anything like that. Shin would be uncomfortable and once he meets her parents, why would he want to put up with that?

"They wouldn't have a problem with Shin being Japanese, but it wouldn't be what they wanted." Davina answered.

Jayla rolled her eyes and set aside her empty glass. "You would think they would be open to the idea of their daughter dating a non-American, especially since they are ex-pats."

"The issue of me dating has never come up so, in their defense, they don't know what to expect. I don't know what to expect." Davina added.

Jayla opened her mouth to utter something, but waited another moment to gather her nerve. She licked her lips as she leaned closer to whisper; she couldn't believe she hadn't asked before. "Davina, have you kissed a guy before?"

Davina's face went cherry-red and she turned away, unable to meet Jayla's stare. "No...not for any particular reason really. I had a few chances, you know, at those eighth-grade parties. I always got too nervous and I didn't think I would like kissing someone I didn't feel anything for." She eventually shrugged her shoulders as the embarrassment waned.

_Ever ? _Jayla allowed the information that Davina had shared to fully sink in before asking another question. She could understand Davina waiting until she was comfortable enough with someone before kissing or having a relationship, but Jayla found it difficult to imagine that she hadn't found someone yet. "But has no one taken your fancy before?"

Again, Davina shrugged. "Sure, I've had crushes. I didn't want to pursue any of them, really."

Jayla sighed in patient agitation. "I _don't _think that's healthy!" When Davina seemed unmoved, Jayla rolled her eyes. Goodness, she thought to herself, did she really have to spell it out for her?! "You said earlier that you like Shin, so you'll try to pursue him, right?"

Davina tilted her head in thought, picking at her nails. Jayla's patience diminished. Was the answer really that hard?

"Liking someone and pursuing them are completely different. Liking is one-sided and though the idea of a relationship sounds nice—someone to depend on, be intimate with, be friends with—it's not what I need. Honestly, I don't believe I'm the kind of girl that could make Shin happy." Davina offered, blankly.

Jayla inhaled to repress the excitement with her. "It's not necessarily what you need, it's what you _want! _Why are you holding back?"

Davina didn't need to hide from Jayla so she rubbed her forehead and sighed before stating her worries. "I don't know what Shin wants. I don't want to get the wrong idea and ruin it." She set a loose strand of hair to her ear. "One of his friends and I got into a spat yesterday. We misunderstood each other on something so simple, that's how idiotic it was. Shin had to go fetch me before I ran off. Why should he put up with that after tutoring ends? I'm worried about telling my parents about him. They still don't know he exists. I wouldn't be surprised if they scared him away, either accidentally or intentionally. And I'm auditioning for S.A.B. later this year, which means I'll have to step it up at practice. If the scenario comes up that he wants to go out with me on a Saturday and I have the option to practice ballet that night, I'll have to choose ballet. And for god's sake, Jayla, I can't even speak Japanese!"

Davina inhaled deeply, not realizing she had said everything on one breath.

Jayla lowered her head and adjusted her hat. She was saddened by her friend's pessimistic outlook on something that should have made her happy. Mira and Jayla had spoken to excitedly about Davina finding someone when before they both doubted she would ever want someone. However, Jayla understood Davina's conclusions. It is frightening to put your heart out on a line when you already expected things to not work out.

Jayla's lips curved slightly. She would narrate everything that Davina said to Mira and she was positive that Mira, like her, would not give up. "I know this is extremely difficult for you to understand right now, but a heart is a terrible thing to waste." Davina blinked and Jayla had hoped for a response but continued anyway. "Shin would put up with the hassle of dealing with your parents, translating for his friends, waiting in between ballet practices, and being patient about the language barrier because he _likes _you."

At that moment, Davina tilted to the side, smiled and waved her hand. Jayla twisted back and spotted Mira, fretting over her ponytail as she strode down the sidewalk. Jayla shook her head in jest; Mira's outfit was perfectly set, nothing too much or too little. Exactly what she expected from Mira, especially since she was almost half an hour late. Jayla straightened and stared at Davina as she picked at her nails. Jayla couldn't read from Davina's composure if Davina had heard her last comment about Shin, but there was no use in asking.

Mira slid into a seat next to Davina while wrapping her arm around Davina's shoulders. "Excuse my tardiness, but what did I miss?" Mira grinned enthusiastically while reaching for the drink menu.

"Nothing, really. I was about to tell Jayla all of what happened last night." Davina answered.

Jayla softly sighed to herself, still curious about the previous night, but disappointed that Davina didn't wish to continue their discussion. Mira seemed convinced as she strapped her bag to her seat and adjusted herself comfortably in her chair. Jayla leaned in and rested her chin on her palm with her elbow pressing on the table.

Davina inhaled a reassuring breath when she faced two sets of eager eyes. She remembered carrying Tatsuya's school jacket in her dance bag; if she were to begin to explain that night, she would have to trail back to a few days prior. She would have to explain Shin's jacket and the difference between Shin's and Tatsuya's. Even calculating her words in her head already sounded ridiculous. However, regardless if her best friends understood or not, she knew they would do their best to listen.

* * *

It was after a few hesitant glances over her mobile's watch that Davina decided that she needed to head home. She balanced her stack of books in her bag and left the cafe with a tired smile. After Davina was out of sight, Mira turned to Jayla with a less than enthusiastic expression. "She's got it bad, but that's not why I'm worried."

Jayla nodded her head sympathetically "Is it because she is trying to convince herself that he is not worth pursuing?" She rolled her eyes.

"She brought books to study and she had questions for you. Even I'm getting frustrated with her." Mira clicked her tongue on her teeth impatiently and crossing her arms. "What do we do at this point?"

Jayla sighed and set her bag strap to her shoulder. "Nothing we can really do."

Mira glanced away, picking at her earring. "Is that it, then? Davina said tutoring would next this coming week so after that, no more Shin? She's a dancer for goodness sake! She of all people should understand that contemporary _rules _were not meant to be followed."

Both girls reflected on their first sighting of Shin. He stole Davina's hat right from her head. She blushed like a beet and frantically smoothed the waves in her hair, while snapping at Shin. Even while she glared at _Shin_, he remained cool and composed. Shin did something that people rarely do; he had laughed at Davina. He had allowed Davina to brisk a few paces ahead of him. If only Davina had seen the way he had continued to smirk even as she furiously strode ahead. Davina hadn't known then that Mira and Jayla had seen them together. They wanted to be introduced to the boy who could make their friend blush.

At that moment, their worry softened as their hope hadn't been depleted yet.

Mira stood from her chair, stretching her arms. "Tatsuya is finished, though. Even if what happened with his friends showing up isn't his fault, Davina knows better than to mingle with that."

"She wasn't interested in him anyway, which is probably why she didn't want to call it a 'date.'" Jayla added.

Mira flipped through the mass number of contents in her purse until she pulled out her rail card. "And what about Shin?"

Remembering how he continued to smirk at Davina, even while she focused ahead reassured Jayla. "I don't believe that Shin is finished yet. And I don't think Davina is either."

* * *

Davina rubbed her eyelids as she stood in turnout. She shook her head as if to shake away the distractions in her mind, but felt no relief. The following day would be the final tutoring day. Monday. She had an entire day of school. English tutoring at Shirokin. Then a full ballet practice afterward. She inhaled deeply, then continued her ballet steps in count.

_1, 2, 3..._

Did Tatsuya have the nerve to show his face in 3-D tomorrow? Did _she _have the inner security to tell Shin that she didn't want to stop seeing him? Would Shin even care?

_4, 5, 6..._

What did it matter if Shin cared? Davina had important things to do! Since the tutoring began she had neglected her full potential in ballet practice. She could continue life, like she did, when she moved on from Shin after their very first meeting.

_7, 8..._

Davina dropped her hand from her barre. Her face stared darkly back at her with her body position still turned out. Her hair glowed carroty in the dimmed lighting of her bedroom. She flexed her hands, which had felt dry along the wooden barre.

Shin's hands had felt a bit rough, but soothing. She shut her eyes and grimaced. This had to stop. She couldn't even concentrate long enough to finish her damn exercises!

She glanced over her shoulder to the open set of books on her desk. She had bookmarked the page with the vocabulary list with 'red' or _aka_and 'baby' or _aka-chan_. Aka in both words used the same kanji '赤' also found with 赤毛 or _akage _for redhead. Shin had called her "aka-chan," which the play on the words roughly translated to 'red-child.' Every so often, she would slip the book open and read the translation over again with a flutter in her stomach.

Davina hadn't mentioned the nickname to Jayla and Mira earlier in the day—worried that they might think her odd for enjoying being called 'red-child.' The combination of the words or name wasn't particularly romantic or special, but the playfulness on Shin's behalf forced Davina to randomly smile whenever she remembered his voice uttering the name.

Besides the random bits of glee, Davina was feeling under the weather. In the morning, she had honestly wanted to study at home instead of going to the cafe, even though she had promised Jayla and Mira.

_"Shin would put up with the hassle because he likes you." _Jayla stressed, obviously agitated with Davina right when Mira arrived. Davina had heard the statement but even then, hours later, standing in her room, she still didn't have a response. Butterflies battered her gut. _Because he likes you. _

Davina went straight to her desk and opened her vocabulary book to the marked page. Imagine if Shin, Jayla, Mira and her parents saw her blushing at the page, Davina pictured their reactions and pressed her hand to cover her cheek. She stared at the translation smiling in bitter sweetness. She knew she shouldn't allow herself to get so excited. She reminded herself _constantly _of that. However, the glee at times overwhelmed the rationality within her.

She sat in her chair, checking the time. Normally, at this time of the night, she would be half way done with her daily practice. Not even her warm-ups were done. She frowned. After Monday's tutoring, maybe she wouldn't hear from Shin again. She shut the book and set it aside.

Monday would be her last guaranteed visit from Shin. Her Japanese notes lay in front of her, smudges of blue ink had dyed the edge of her palm. If their relations ended on good terms, it wouldn't be something to complain about, right? Even if her return to America was still fair into the future, going home was inevitable. Getting too attached had pained Davina so many times as a child due to the incessant threat of being immediately relocated. A wave of sadness came over Davina, causing her to shut off her light and crawl into bed.

She brought the covers to her nose and bent her knees to her chest. Her eyes watered, but she managed to blink away the tears. It was a bad idea to tell Jayla and Mira that she had liked Shin. If she hadn't, maybe she could have forgotten about him. They were her friends, of course, but they were a little pushy. _"Just tell him you would like to hang out sometime." _Mira had said, so easily. Outside of the tutoring environment, what could they do together? Davina tried to imagine them _hanging out. _At a cafe? At a park? The image split in her head; she could see herself hanging out and she could see Shin, but the picture was not fully conjoined.

Davina exhaled heavily against her pillow case. Maybe she would ask Shin to _hang out_ sometime. Maybe they could promise to call each other once in a while, just to see how the other was doing. She would be adamant but not having any expectations. Such would only lead to disappointment.

* * *

The nervous weight of the upcoming tutoring session ransacked Tatsuya's stomach, eating away at his will to show his face to 3-D and Davina. Kazu and Akira hadn't uttered a word to him for the entire day. It took a while, but he somehow, mostly through glaring, he beat it into the two of them and Inoue that their actions had cost him a relationship.

When the final bell rang, dismissing everyone from campus, Tatsuya stood at 3-C's door with his arms crossed over his chest. As Kazu and Akira began to file out with the rest of their classmates, they avoided his eyes. "You owe me." He muttered simply.

After a few paces ahead, Akira stopped, reconsidered and turned back. Kazu watched Akira join with Tatsuya, cursed to himself then reluctantly turned back. "We're not letting them lay a hand on you." Akira declared to Tatsuya.

"Judging by what she told them, _somebody_ has to make sure _we _don't get shredded as well." Kazu murmured to himself, soft enough that Akira and Tatsuya hadn't heard.

"Remember, for Shizuka!" Tatsuya balled his hand into a fist. Both Akira and Kazu nudged, as if remembering the original circumstances that had caused them to volunteer to help tutor in the first place. The possibility of Shizuka being sacked had almost been forgotten.

The hall was nearly clear by the time the trio managed to walk slowly to 3-D's door. The walk down the stairs had lasted for an eternity it seemed, as they kept the '3-D' sign in their vision. The loud rustle of boys assured them that perhaps they could slip in without being noticed..._or maimed._

_This was a bad idea_, Tatsuya's gut retched as he gulped and entered 3-D.

"Kikuno-chan supesharu onigiri!" Kawashima-sensei unveiled a tray stacked with wrapped onigiri. The boys of 3-D erupted with cheer and a rush of arms grabbed the triangles of rice. "Eat to your heart's delight!"

Distracted by the food, the boys of 3-C tiptoed into the classroom without notice. Tatsuya quickly scanned the room for red-hair but didn't see Davina.

"Delicious!" Yamaguchi-sensei squinted with delight with her mouth full of rice. "Oh! 3-C!" She greeted the three boys.

Kazu nearly jumped and Akira darted his head away. Tatsuya didn't blame them, as he was frightened as well. Not by Yamaguchi-sensei, but worried about what 3-D had heard from Davina's testimony from Sawada and his crew. Judging by her cheeriness to see them, Yamaguchi-sensei hadn't heard a thing.

"Have some 3-C! There's enough for everyone!" She patted Tatsuya on the elbow, gesturing the boys towards the tray. Kawashima-sensei peered back and smiled at the boys, surprised that 3-C boys were willing to join in on the tutoring.

Even while their stomachs were upset, the three boys took a serving of onigiri for the sake of being polite. Before they could nod their heads in acknowledgment and gratitude, a 3-D boy yanked Kazu by his shirt. He braced for a hit to the face, but nothing ever came.

"Hey 3-C! Check our work! Nobu he's right, I think he's an idiot and that I'm right." The boy let go of Kazu and shoved his English pages at Kazu's nose. Sighing from relief, Kazu grasped the pages and read the English bits to himself.

Akira and Tatsuya met eyes and also shared a mutual sigh of relief. So far so good. Akira peeled the plastic wrapping on his onigiri and joined a group of 3-D boys to help with their inquiry.

Tatsuya stood next to Yamaguchi-sensei, glancing, pretending to be casual, at the crowd of students. His heart sank, perhaps she didn't show up?

"You see, it should be _the _dream comes true."

Tatsuya lifted his head and saw her. Davina hadn't seen him yet, from what he could tell. She was circling a mistake of Yamaguchi-sensei's on the study guide. Sawada was standing suspiciously close to her as he leaned in to read what she was fixing. Sawada glimpsed over the red marking on the paper in her hands, said a comment to her and she smiled at him. The middle of Tatsuya's torso burned like fire and he resisted the urge to squeeze the soft onigiri in his hand. He turned his neck away and glared at the backs of Kazu and Akira. _"You owe me." _Tatsuya could honestly say he would much rather receive a bloody nose from the 3-D boys then watch Sawada with Davina.

Maybe he could still sneak out of the classroom without Davina noticing... Tatsuya quickly checked Kazu and Akira; they were too far away and absorbed in answering questions for Tatsuya to risk drawing anymore attention to himself. He ran a nervous hand through his hair but before he could step away, he spotted Davina staring unblinkingly at the glass window that peaked into the staircase. The glare of the lighting made it impossible for Tatsuya to see what she was staring at. Didn't matter, while she was distracted, he practically ran out of the classroom.

His heart pounded in his head, yet he exhaled in relief as the door shut behind him. Tatsuya saw something move to his left. "Fu-Fujiyama-sensei!"

Fujiyama-sensei, who had been crouching to spy into the room, straightened awkwardly. She ducked her head down in embarrassment. "Tsuchida-san—"

Before she could utter more, Tatsuya shook his head then ran past her out the exit without looking back.

* * *

Davina had seen her. There was no way that woman could have been anyone else. Not with that look of longing on her face. She remembered Shin's words when he had described her: _"s__he is beautiful, short red-ish hair, tall, curvy."  
_

Davina turned to look at Noda. His eyes were bagged with dark circles and his fingers were gray with pencil marks. Since day one he had given the English lessons his all. He had been one of the most impressive people she had ever seen.

That lady who was peeking into the classroom _was _Fujiyama. Noda's Shizuka. Davina set a loose strand of hair to her hair and tilted her head to Shin. Kuma, Minami, and Uchi were devouring their onigiri while working devotedly on their study guides. Davina remembered the taste of the fish-onigiri that Shin had handed to her on the day of the ceremony in Minato. He came all the way from Shirokin to Minato to hand her an onigiri.

Davina pictured Fujiyama's sad face and Noda's undying determination. She watched again as Shin was bent over his study guide, conversing with Uchi.

Noda stood on his chair and gathered everyone's attention. "Alright! For Shizuka's sake. Top score!" He threw his fist into the air, causing the rest of the boys to follow suit.

"Let's go!" The boys cheered in unison, grinning from ear to ear. Yankumi and Kawashima-sensei beamed at each other, both in excitement and exhaustion.

Davina felt a wave of emotion hit her and her hand pressed against her chest. She gulped; it wasn't enough for her to cry, but enough to smile. She turned back to Shin, who was gazing at her. Davina inhaled to remain composed and nodded her head at Shin. His chin was in his palm, but along his thumb, she could see the curve of his smirk.

* * *

"Is Dabina-chan tired?" Kuma asked Davina as she secured her materials in her bag. Davina hadn't yet fully recovered from the near emotional outburst from Noda's cries. She yawned however, as she turned to respond.

"Just ready for the mid-term to be over with." She said sincerely.

"Wait? Does Dabina-chan want tutoring to end?" Minami nudged Kuma who blinked.

"Is Dabina-chan saying she is sick of us already?" Uchi yawned and stretched his long arms.

Davina stiffened as she straightened with her bag on her hip. She hadn't meant for her words to come out that way.

"Why wouldn't she be?! She's had to spend the last several afternoons tutoring English on her own free time. I'd be sick of it if I had to teach Japanese!" Minami added and the boys nodded in agreement.

Noda rubbed his cheek, yet he was glowing with excitement. He held up his English textbook and filed out with his friends, whispering the English sentences to himself. Davina had to admit, he was progressing very well. He was certainly better than many of those Davina had met who claimed they could speak English.

"Any final questions before we all leave for the day?" Yankumi asked even as few of the boys were shutting the door behind them as they left. "Wouldn't want any student to have doubts the night before the mid-term..." Yankumi yawned sheepishly.

Kawashima-sensei checked her watch and grabbed her empty tray. "Ganberu ne." She uttered to Yankumi. Before she left, she stopped to turn around and approach Davina.

Kawashima-sensei previously had only heard subtle mentions of the girl. When she arrived in 3-D, she hadn't put two and two together. Seeing the well-put girl in 3-D was weirdly fascinating. "Where did you find a native speaker?" The nurse had whispered to Yankumi when she first saw Davina quietly sneak an onigiri.

Yankumi had put down a stack of corrected study guides to lean in awkwardly to hear Kawashima-sensei. On reaction, she looked to the back of the classroom to spot Davina sitting with Kuma, both bent over an English textbook. "She's a friend of Sawada." Yankumi had smiled and pushed her glasses up.

Kawashima-sensei's mouth had then slid open but she quickly covered with her surprise with her fingers. "_Honto ni?_" She said too loudly at first but quieted herself even while the class was loudly working. "Is it true?"

Yankumi held up her forehead proudly so the fluorescent lighting above her glared on her lens.

Kawashima had folded her arms and narrowed her eyes on Sawada. "Hmmm," She hummed to herself, unconvinced.

The Sawada _she _knew didn't associate himself outside of his crew of bad apples. She had glanced at Davina again for a moment; the girl seemed so _nice _as she sat with Kuma and patiently answered his questions. Uchiyama-kun was reading a sentence aloud to Shin. The boy listened to his friend for a moment but Kawashima saw his eyes dart away for a second. Kuma had, with the girl's help, figured out an English grammar sequence. Davina had smiled for Kuma's success causing Kuma to slightly blush. If Kawashima had blinked, she would have missed it, but Shin's attention was fixed on Davina's joyful smile. His eyes lite up so remarkably that Kawashima couldn't believe what she had seen when Sawada turned back to Uchiyama, as normal as before.

"He's not a bad guy." Yankumi words drew Kawashima back.

The nurse had sighed. She had recalled the many times Headteacher had called 3-D, and Sawada in particular, trash. She knew his history, what he did to that teacher at his old school. She had unfolded her arms at that point. It had been so easy to believe that Sawada was as simple as the gossip and rumors made him out to be. Maybe that was why Yankumi had worked so adamantly and passionately to prove to everyone in the school that 3-D, Sawada weren't so simple.

Kawashima-sensei looked at Davina, from head to toe, then gave a slight nod of her head and smiled. "Thank you for your time, ne."

Davina adjusted her bag strap and managed to bow. She didn't know who this person was who made the lovely onigiri, but she made a mental note to ask Shin later.

As 3-D inevitably cleared out, she noticed two boys standing together by the door. Unconsciously, her hand clenched into a fist when she recognized them as Akihito and Kazu. She checked the classroom immediately, but sighed in relief when she didn't find Tatsuya. Had he been there? He had to have been, otherwise, why would his two friends be there?

Seeing Davina's glare, Akira and Kazu nudged each other to leave. Yankumi kept them for a moment for one final thanks. "Thank you for your effort boys." Yankumi uttered gratefully.

The two boys simpered, curtly bowed and left. Uchi, Minami, Kuma, and Noda looked to one another to see if someone had understood. Of course, Shin hadn't bothered to tell them what exactly happened that night when Davina called him.

Davina felt Shin's presence behind her and figured it was time to leave. She bowed to Yankumi, bitterly wondering if it would be the last time she would see the dorky teacher who wore gym clothes. Yankumi grinned, "you did your best and everyone will do their best tomorrow."

Davina took one last glimpses of Yankumi's, Kuma's, Uchi's, Noda's and Minami's faces as she followed Shin up the backstairs. She inhaled and took in one last look of the 3-D classroom with the graffiti on the lockers and desks lined in disarray. She exhaled and passed through the exit, suppressing acknowledgment of the sad possibility she may never see 3-D again.

* * *

Shin mentioned that he would be going with Noda later for some more English studying.

Davina checked her watch. 18:11. There was no way she would have time to eat, not that she was hungry anyway, but she would also have to rush her goodbye with Shin. "Will I see you in Minato later?" Davina bit her lip. She hadn't meant to ask that bluntly.

Shin snorted as if the answer had been obvious. "Noda can handle English for the hour I'll be gone."

Davina swallowed to soothe her dry throat. They had managed to secure seats on the train and Davina couldn't help but notice how small the seats were. When she leaned her back to relax, her thigh slightly pressed against Shin's. She blushed and immediately crossed her legs. "Sorry..." She murmured.

She didn't say anything else for the rest of their journey and couldn't bear to glance to her left at Shin. Two stops away from Shinjuku, Shin ran his hands through his hair and Davina smelled a wave of his scent. Even while he was sitting near, she wished she could pull him closer to her.

By the slide doors, a couple stood close together. Davina knew all to well about the Japanese's hesitance for public displays of affection. However, the young business man pulled his significant other into the subtlest of embraces and shared the quickest of kisses with her just before the she exited the train. Davina stared on longingly, biting her lip, pining in jealousy.

The operator yelled over the intercom, "SHINJUKU! 新宿区!" Quickly balancing her bag on her hip, Davina didn't bothered to quick to see if Shin followed her. She felt his presence behind her even as dozens of people huddled next to them to exit the train. It was simply routine now that she didn't have to peer over her shoulder, she trusted him to be there.

Gliding up the escalators, they stood to the right to allow others to run if in a hurry on the left side. Remembering the embarrassment she felt when her leg pressed against Shins, Davina figured that it wasn't a big deal if the edge of her palm touched his on the sliding handle as they reached the ground floor. They tapped their rail passes on the ticketing machines and exited out the station gate. Shin and Davina stood side by side again and continued on towards the ballet studio.

She checked her watch once more as they crossed the intersection. 18:46. Davina groaned. She hoped to not have to rush her goodbye. "So, you're going with Noda now?"

"Unless Noda guilts Kuma, Uchi, and Minami to join, it'll be just us." Shin shoved his fists into his pocket as they stopped in front of the studio's entrance.

The sky was dark blue at that point and the night time winds pull Davina's hair into her face. She tucked the short pieces of hair to her ear while she stared at her shoes. Was it alright to hug Shin?

Davina nearly jumped when she heard giggles from behind. She turned and saw two of her ballet classmates giggling and whispering to each other, staring at Shin from head to toe. Even after they opened the studio doors to enter, they peaked over their shoulders to giggle some more.

The wind blew her hair in her eyes once more; Davina couldn't face Shin. The butterflies in her stomach in addition to the time constraints and the hectic nature of Shinjuku left her throat dry of the words she had been planning so dearly to tell Shin.

In her head, she had planned to be either sitting or standing elegantly, lighting perfect, not a hair out of place, calm without a care in the world. Not rushed and disheveled. Anything less than perfect circumstances would be too risky for Davina to ask Shin if he wished to _hang out_ outside of tutoring. She would have to save her question for their walk back to Roppongi. She instantly liked the idea as she checked her watch again. 18:52. It would give her am ample amount of time to prepare.

However, a foreboding pang ached her insides. Davina resisted the undying urge to pull Shin closer as she grabbed the door's handle. She looked back at Shin, wishing she could skip her ballet practice and go over more English lessons with him and Noda.

"See you." Shin said in his deep timbre voice. Davina felt her knees slightly give in, knowing it was her final chance to hug him.

Car honked and crowds of people chattered all around and Davina's time was ticking away. She cringed but managed to force a smile. "See you."

Shin ran a quick hand through his hair to uncover his eyes. His brown set met her green set for a moment but he soon turned around and disappeared into the crowd. Davina heaved a deep breath and began walking the heavy steps to the changing area inside the studio. She knew it wouldn't be long at all before she met up with him again in Minato, but why did she feel so horrible?

* * *

Davina untied her ballet slippers and removed the padding from her toes. She checked her toes, only one new blister.

Madame had seemed a little irritated during practice. A little short, impatient, and redundant. She had called Davina out twice for being distracted. Davina knew she had been a bit unfocused, for obvious reasons, but thankfully, the other girls had irked Madame as well. Practice had been crummy, but Davina was happy to change her clothes.

The two girls from earlier sat further down the bench, taking their time to gather their things from their lockers. Every once in a while, they would stare at Davina then giggle to themselves. Davina caught every stare, but didn't pay any mind to it. She remembered how the two of them had stared at Shin.

She checked the mirror carefully as she adjusted her accessories for her outfit. She liked her her red hair contrasted with her royal blue sweater. Her hair? Should she tie it up just in case it was still windy? If so, messy bun or perfect pony-tail?

Her bag vibrated as her mobile phone rang. As she rummaged through her things she thought, Shin? Why would he be calling? However when she lifted the phone from her purse the caller ID read "MAMAN." Why would her mother be calling?

"Hello?" She answered.

"Davina, did you just finish with your ballet lesson?" Her mother voice was partially drowned by the sounds of traffic.

"Yes, I'm gathering my things as we speak."

"Good, we can swing by over there and pick you up..._yes, just in Shinjuku._" Esmée gestured to the driver, holding the phone away from her ear.

Davina's jaw dropped and she rubbed her forehead in dismay. Restlessly, she paced and tapped her foot. Of course, her mother has picked her up before. Normally, she'd be thankful, but not today, oh goodness, not today. "Are you already on your way?" Maybe she could get out of it. Say she was already at the station or say she was already outside...something.

"_Just turn here_. Yes, we're already here. Please hurry, I want to beat traffic."

Defeated, Davina slumped herself on the bench. "Be there in a moment." She hung up. Shutting her locker and zipping up her bag, she held her phone tightly in her hand.

She didn't want to, but she knew she had to tell Shin to not come. Exiting the ballet studio, Davina searched through her list of contacts and found Shin's information. Her thumb rested over the 'Send' button, waiting for the courage to hear his voice. The car, dressed with American flags, was immediately outside the exit. Her mother had ear, she would be able to hear her conversation with Shin. And she would _surely_ ask. _Who is this person you were planning on seeing? Who is he? Why haven't you told me about him before?_

Shinjuku was blanketed in the night sky but urban lighting shined as bright as broad daylight. Businesses were just now closing and herds of black-clad businessmen rushed to the train station.

The car door opened for Davina and she slide in. The car was technically the _family car_ but Davina had only ridden in it only a handful of times. US government-provided automobiles seemed to only come in black. Leather interior was nice but horrendously uncomfortable in either frigid or scorching weather. Davina remembered being younger, living in the desert, when the back of her legs would stick to the car seat in the heat.

Davina's mother waved her in, but gestured to the cellphone attached to her ear to signal she was busy. Esmée jabbered in fast French and allowed the driver to ease into traffic.

While her mother was occupied, Davina quickly typed a text message to send to Shin:

_I can't meet up with you in Minato._

_My mother came and picked me up._

Davina bit her lip, wondering how to end the message.

_Please tell me how it goes tomorrow._

_See you._

Davina's thumb pressed 'Send,' and already regret filled her. Why didn't she add that she had hoped he hadn't left Noda's yet? Why didn't she make her mother wait a minute she could call Shin instead? Why didn't she just have the damn courage to call Shin in front of her mother? What did she care if her mother knew about Shin?! She wanted to be Shin's friend.

From what Davina could interpret from the nature of her mother's call, there was no end in sight. Davina sighed and slanted against the window and watched the urban landscape smooth on into a colorful blur. How many times did she wish for her mother to pick her up to save her the long trip home? Many times, but not once when Shin began walking her home.

Frustration made her eyes water. How could she have been so stupid? Why hadn't she just bucked up the courage and told Shin how she felt when she had the freaking chance? The pact between them was complete. Shin had no reason or obligation to see Davina again. Surely, it wouldn't be too big of a deal to just call him? But _could_ she call him? Really, the worst he could do was say 'no.'

Davina shut her eyes to rest for the remainder of the ride home. Too disappointed in the outcome of her day, she didn't want to think of further possibilities for disappointment.

* * *

Precisely at nine in the morning, Davina closed her eyes and interloped her fingers in her lap. "Ganbatte." She whispered. She was sitting her own English, not really listening to a lecture on Dante's Inferno. Never had an hour last so long... 9:14, 9:29, 9:34, 9:47... When the bell rang for next class at half past ten, Davina still had no notice from Shin. At lunch that day, Davina finally put her phone away, tired of waiting for a text message that wasn't coming.

Davina did her absolute best to hide her sour mood, especially from Jayla and Mira.

"Is something the matter?" Jayla randomly asked her at lunch.

Davina shrugged innocently. "Nothing...why would you ask?"

Jayla then shook her head, "no reason, I guess."

Mira didn't utter a word, but tapped her nails on the lunch table while concernedly staring Davina. The conversation was withheld for a solid minute before Mira change the topic to some Japanese soup-opera. Davina sighed then joined in as she normally would, effectively ignoring the heavy sadness within her chest.

Davina passed on a get together at a near by cafe in Roppongi. She hadn't slept well and wished to go home. She bid goodbye to Jayla and Mira at their school gate when school was dismissed.

The sun shined brightly against the pavement and cars and the sky was a clean, clear blue. She was thankful that the weather was at least lovely even while deep down she was upset and bitter. She dearly missed Shin, so much that it hurt inside. At that time of day, Davina would be walking with Shin towards the station. She remembered how reluctant she had originally felt about trying to schedule in the tutoring with her normal life. In actuality, Davina had neglected much of her normal life since the tutoring commenced. She wasn't focused on practicing ballet. She hadn't researched S.A.B.'s auditions in Tokyo. She hadn't touched her college applications.

As her mother always said, everything happens for a reason. Shin's relation to her only existed because he had helped her that one night long ago. They were officially even. Nothing owed to the other. Her life would continue without Shin just as it did before she met him. It was a pity as she had truly wished to be his friend after the tutoring ended. However, how could they be friends? Maybe Shin and Davina could _hang out _once, at most twice, then what? More disappointment on her behalf because of her feelings. Was what they _had _enough to be a substantial friendship? Would she be disappointed with Shin's friendship? What they had was great, ended great, so why mar it by trying to force more?

Davina stopped suddenly. She had sensed something...a presence...intangible, but heavy, and felt the need to turn around. Surely, she was just freaking herself out... Twisting on her heel, she lost her balance when she saw wavy black hair and mostly black school uniform. Excitement rushed in her veins and she fought the urge to smile.

"Oh! Hello Shin." She tucked a loose strand of hair to her ear for the sake of giving her hand something to do. She tapped her foot restlessly and clenched the strap of her bag tightly. She gulped as she tried to avoid staring straight into his eyes.

She noticed he was carrying a pink cellphone in his hand. Pink? His cellphone wasn't a flip phone... "Is that yours?" Davina tilted her neck in curiosity to get a better look.

Shin lifted his hand to check the back of the phone then tucked it away into his shoulder bag. He didn't seem embarrassed to be holding a pink cellphone "Found it. Planning to return it but you were on the way. Figured I'd tell you the result of today."

_It is Tuesday, remember ?_ "Midterm!" Davina nearly yelped at herself. She regained her composure. "I mean—how did the English midterm go?"

Shin's poker face remained strong and blank, no hint whatsoever. "Only two people passed..."

Davina's heart sank. After all that work...she had such high hopes...

"...but everyone got over thirty points." Shin finished.

Blood rushed to Davina's cheeks and she laughed at herself. That bastard! "You scared me for a second there! Who passed?"

Shin opened his bag and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Noda passed." Davina nodded her head; he had worked the hardest of all of them. Noda had earned it.

Shin handed the paper to Davina. Immediately, she saw it was his midterm exam paper. A perfect hundred percent. Davina bit her lip for moment, gathering a extra few seconds of time by reading both the front and back. "What did Noda get?"

"Sixty percent." Shin uttered curtly.

Davina nervously bit her lip again, her hands were crinkling the paper from slightly quivering. She had forgotten. 3-D had made another pact with her. Who ever got the highest exam grade would get a date with her. If only two people had passed, that would mean that Noda's and Shin's grades were the highest and one hundred was clearly larger than sixty...

Neither of them said anything for a moment as Davina's realization floated between them. The butterflies within her stomach flocked her insides. She squeezed her bag strap as if her life depended on it. "Are you sure, Shin?"

Shin nodded his head, "can't see how it would hurt."

"I'm free Wednesday. We can have dinner at the Hardy Barracks. I can cook Italian. You can invite Kuma, Uchi, Minami, and Noda, if they wish to celebrate."

There it was again. If Davina hadn't been watching for his approval, she might have missed it. Shin smiled, but it disappeared when he ran his hand through his hair. "They have _already_ reminded me that the pact was for two. _Futari._"

Only for two, Davina's translation was correct. Oh goodness, her nerves were having a field day! "So, is six in the evening fine?"

"Sounds fine." Shin confirmed simply. Davina adjusted her bag strap, wondering what the protocol was... Should she hug him or _give him a handshake_ or something?

Before Davina could fully process what was happening, Shin swiftly stepped closer, slide his hands from her waist to her back and pulled her in to his arms. Her head rested on his chest and she went slightly weak in the knees. She absolutely loved how his arms felt around her waist. It was broad daylight, but it didn't matter. Her hands glided up his chest, to his neck and his soft hair. "Ja ne, Davina." His breath against her neck sent shivers down her spine.

Slowly, her grip loosened and Shin released her. "Ja ne." Davina replied softly. They went their separate directions. Shin crossed the intersection and Davina continued down the main road towards home.

What was she thinking really? Wednesday was only one day away...she had so much to prepare. What was she going to wear? How was she going to wear her hair? Which recipe was she going to cook? Regardless of the task ahead, she was as light as a feather. If she leaped, she wouldn't fall back down, she would _flutter. _The warm wave of emotion was so engulfing, Davina, who had been so miserable just moments prior to seeing Shin again, couldn't remember ever wanting to cry. Murphy's law had hurt her and it now saved her and now she was on top of the world. It had barely been a week since Shin called her for the first time yet her longing for him seemed much older. She had nearly convinced herself that she could be fine with Shin but she had never imagined for a second what elation it was to conceive of the idea that maybe...just maybe...Shin could be hers.

* * *

I told you :) I can't remember which chapter it was, but I left a hint for this chapter. "I believe we all know who got the highest score on the English midterm." I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I still have some writer's block issues, but I still feel so inspired to write more, especially now that Davina is so happy.


	12. Chapter 12: The Date 1

Let's just say I was just as nervous as Davina while writing this chapter. Rather this chapter soon become two when the length, as always, exceed my expectations. Again, please forgive my late chapter(s). You are all so wonderful for continuing to stick with this story even though I suck so much at updating regularly x_x! I had finished this chapter yesterday but wanted to check through it once more until I was satisfied.

Crucial thanks to rainbow-kitten91, darkredcrystal (twice and once for kicking me in the butt to hurry up and finish this chapter! I swear it was half way done when you sent that message :P), shugochara119, loser94, TheBlindDog, and last, but certainly not least, Cheri. Thank you all for your kind words! Never fails to bring a wide grin to my face! Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my story.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Twelve (Part 1)

* * *

To wear the dress or to wear a skirt instead? Davina held two hangers of clothes side by side by her neck, gazing at her mirror. The beaded white skirt—simple but beautiful—or the pale white and pink dress—formal but also beautiful. The dress was a bit fancy, but she wore skirts all the time. Her outfit would set the tone for the night, she thought.

Davina imagined sitting at the dining table with Shin, hoping she would appear poise and charming. She wanted to look nice, of course, but didn't want to look like as though she had tried too hard. She rolled her eyes at her own reflection. As _if _Shin would honestly care what she wore.

Today wasn't going to be a tutoring session. Tonight was...absolutely stressing her out.

On her bed, Davina's phone chimed and vibrated. She set the hangers aside and activated her phone's screen. _One new message._

_Sender: Mira_

_Good luck tonight! And _

_don't forget to keep Jayla _

_and I updated! _:)

Davina gulped then paused, trying to decide if she should send a reply. She had waited a couple of hours after Shin approached her the day prior before telling Jayla and Mira. Mira had thrown her hands up in the air and cried, "YES!" while Jayla had laughed at Davina's blushing embarrassment and grinned from ear to ear. They had gleefully bombarded her with questions—of course—what are you serving him? What are you wearing? Are you nervous? Are you excited?

Their excitement, while supportive, only added to her nerves as each question further marked how unprepared she was. "I don't know what I'm doing exactly. Don't ask me."

Later that day after Davina spoke with Mira and Jayla, she ventured off to one of the larger grocery stores where she knew she could find imports. Maneuvering through the aisles, Davina took her time searching for the dinner ingredients. She found the aisle with tomato puree and compared each brand as countless shoppers strolled by her. Davina stood there with two cans of tomato puree, feeling brain-dead. She _could _make the sauce from scratch or buy some pre-made.

Davina went further down the aisle and found several shelves of sauce. She grabbed a random glass jar and read the English ingredients. _Tomato puree, garlic, basil..._come to think of it. Davina had no idea if Shin had any food allergies... what if basil made Shin break out in hives? And what about ricotta and mozzarella? What if Shin was vegan?

A couple of female shoppers glared at Davina because she was blocking off their access to pasta sauce. However, Davina didn't spot their glares nor heard their mumbling insults under their breaths. Her attention was fixed on the ingredients list, mentally too tired to scrutinize every detail of her dinner with Shin.

Okay, Shin in the past had eaten ramen and onigiri with Davina, which meant that in the very least he ate fish, so no, he was neither vegan nor vegetarian. Ricotta and mozzarella were safe. Impulsively, Davina set the tomato puree back on the shelf and added the pre-made sauce to her basket. Not having to make sauce from scratch might save her from insanity.

After she paid, Davina lugged all of her grocery bags to the bus stop. She sighed as she set the heavy bags to the cement, leaning ahead of some of the other bus riders to see if the bus were coming. She spotted two young adult men conversing casually but there had been a distinctive pause when one of them noticed her.

She glanced away, trying not to pay attention to the boys who were looking at her and muttering to each other. Oh, she was so used to this by now. However, she fidgeted as she stood, inching for her to stare back. Their voices grew louder and Davina lowered her head, her red hair falling over her brow. As people crowded around the bus stop, the air around her grew thick. Finally, she turned to the boys, sure enough, their eyes were on her, their faces red from laughing.

"_Honto ni!_ The appearance is uncanny!"

With that, Davina laced her hands into her bags' straps, shoved people aside, then stomped with long steps away from the bus stop. She continued even as she heard the bus come to a screeching halt behind her. The speed of her steps increased until the bus rushed past her. The weight of her bags pulled her to the ground; her heart beat in her ears. She couldn't understand why such a frightened instinct had taken over.

She was light-headed for a moment then caught her breath, embarrassed at how she had pushed people out of her way and the unnatural pace of her heart beat.

Davina had had to take a taxi home due to her purchasing too many items which prevented her from walking home and stumbling onto a bus. The bus stop was packed with riders and Davina didn't care to be mashed with her bags.

A relatively short ride and ¥2400 later, Davina was in her kitchen packing everything carefully, as if fragile. Esmée slipped into the kitchen, overhearing her daughter mumbling random ingredient names aloud to herself.

She spotted Davina setting a massive bag of penne pasta into the large cabinet with unblinking focus. When Davina saw Esmée watching, she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Preparing a dinner, Davina?"

"Yes," Davina continued to empty her bags. Davina's father then stepped in, reaching around Davina for the glass shelf but eyed her groceries.

"Heh, penne? Planning to make your famous zitti? Come to think of it, you haven't cooked in a long while." He glanced over to his wife, leaning by the door, who nodded then shrugged.

Davina bit her lip. "I'm just having a friend over after school tomorrow." She shelved the jar of sauce, watching her parents' expressions from the corner of her eye, waiting for more questioning. Her father was a military sergeant and in the past, the right side of his face always twitched whenever he was suspicious.

However, her father simply poured some juice into his glass, as normal as ever. "Sure Davina, just make sure to leave some zitti for me."

Davina's mother had left as well, mumbling something, "leave some for me as well." As Davina watched her mother's shadow fade away, she continued to stare on as her parents' footsteps grew softer, if she thought they would turn back. She waited another moment, then sighed with relief. Her mind had drilled pleasing answers in case her father or mother pursued with their questions and now she couldn't believe how easy her parents had been.

The excitement in Davina's stomach fluttered, regardless of relief, to the thought that her night with Shin was really going to happen. The food was in her cupboard. Her outfit was in her closet. Her parents weren't suspicious.

Davina peered at the living room, where her parents were sitting, trying to imagine Shin on one of the couches. Her father was currently reading the _Tokyo Shimbun _with his kanji book sitting on his knee. He skipped the front news page about the blooming cherry blossoms and turned to the North American section.

"Huh?" Davina's father turned to the next page and murmured to himself. "Davina, this is your handwriting?" He turned his head at his daughter by the kitchen and gestured to the red markings of kanji and burbled translations next to the articles.

"Sorry! I was practicing my Japanese. I guess I got carried away." Davina pointed and relaxed her toes as she leaned against the kitchen wall.

Her father closed his mouth then turned back to his newspaper, his brows lifted. Davina then heard the soft ring from her phone, glided _enpointe_ passed the living room, into her room and shut the door.

It wasn't until he heard Davina's distant chattering that he turned to Esmée, his right eye twitching. _I told you. _She mouthed.

Ah, yes, he briefly remembered Esmée expressing her surprise in Davina's demeanor lately. "She's taken a likening to studying and she was studying _instead _of practicing her ballet!"

He remembered laughing at his wife. "Why is that a bad thing? Maybe she has _finally _decided to go to college instead of doing dance."

Esmée had crossed her arms, bothered by his laughter while she had intended to be serious. "I don't know. It's not bad. That's not why I'm telling you. I've just... never seen her like this."

He glanced at the red pen marked all over his newspaper. They had only been in Tokyo for five months or so and from what he could tell, Davina's Japanese probably surpassed his skills. He knew several colleagues who had been in Tokyo for _years _and still struggled with basic Hiragana. And judging by his newspaper, Davina, _his _daughter, was already translating full sentences in the newspaper. He smirked and set his kanji book on the coffee table. He wouldn't need it.

* * *

"How do you feel, Davina?" Jayla leaned in, stabbing her fork into her fried fish.

Davina blinked, inhaled then continued swirling her fork. "I feel sick." She said with a slight laugh.

Jayla reached and rubbed Davina's arm. "It's normal to feel nervous. Just don't puke on him. I've never heard of a culture where the guys like getting thrown up on."

Davina laughed. "I'll be sure to remember that during the dinner."

Mira chimed in with her face munched up in disgust. "Isn't sad that I used to know guys who were actually _turned on _by such?"

Jayla squint her eyes at Mira. "Only you would associate yourself with such people."

Mira threw a hand up in defeat. "Keywords: used to know and sad. And let's hope that Shin isn't such... Come to think of it, do you have any idea of what sort of things get him _excited_? Favorite music, movies, characteristics in girls?"

Davina sighed thoughtfully then set down her fork. She recalled his demeanor with his friends when they were all at the cafe in Shinjuku. All of his friends, except Noda, showed _obvious_ interest in those cute private school girls. Their lustful smiles and flirting was something Davina couldn't erase from her mind. Noda, however, was in love with Fujiyama sensei and his interest in her was shown by his 60% on his English exam.

Shin didn't bat an eye at those girls, at _anyone _for that matter.

When Davina didn't answer, Jayla replied. "Well, tonight is the night that she learns all about that stuff, right? And I'm sure he has questions for you too, Davina."

Davina pushed her lunch tray aside and folded her arms on the table. What sort of questions would Shin ask, if any? She doubted that Shin was curious about her; he would have asked her ages ago if that were the case.

* * *

"Don't you bore her tonight, Shin!" Minami slapped Shin's desk. Shin didn't nudge his head, nor did he lift his head to face Minami. Noda met eyes with Minami then they both sighed.

"_Ii yo na._ I wish I had a date tonight." Uchi bent back in his chair to watch Shin, however, he could still hear the boy's soft snoring. Dumbass. If Shin had planned to sleep then why did he bother to show up _on time _today?

Noda and Kuma nodded in agreement with each other. Noda unzipped his bag and held out his camera. Kuma leaned in to see the tiny screen and saw Davina dancing in her ballet slippers during one of the tutoring sessions. "It has us in here—look see there's us! So we have proof that we knew her before she became a famous dancer. This video will be worth a lot one day." Noda pointed to his smiling face and daydreamed.

"Nah," Kuma nudged Noda, "do you think she'll introduce us to any celebrities when she's at the top? Japanese or American... I don't care, sah..."

"Don't get your hopes up." Shin murmured behind his hand.

Awkwardly, Kuma and Noda lifted their heads in sync. Both saw Shin sitting on his desk, turned away to the back wall.

"Eh, when did you get up?" Noda groused to Shin's back. Uchi shrugged in response.

"_Romeo _over there is probably resting his mind for his date tonight. Lucky bastard." Minami uttered to the boys who groaned in agreement.

Shin didn't confirm nor reject their conclusions, however his mind was currently riddled with his recent discovery about 3-D's newest teacher. From the very beginning, Yankumi's behavior had been different from all the other teachers. She knew how to fight, she yelled in Yakuza-street slang like a native, and her tolerance of _rough behavior _as Headteacher so thoughtfully put it, proved that she had been raised with such rowdiness.

"What the hell did you say?"

"You wanna fight?"

"Your breath stinks!"

Yankumi was dumber than Shin originally thought. She cheered the boys on as they fought one-by-one. "It's not a sashigoro. What? Don't you know what that is?"

"It's NORMAL not to know!" Noda yelled at her, his expression matching the other boys' of confusion and suspicion.

When Headteacher stormed in, with impeccable timing, Yankumi went red in the face and hid behind Kuma.

"Baka." Shin muttered to himself. Shin immediately pondered why he hadn't figured out her secret before he found her phone. Yankumi or O_jou _might as well have waved a bright red banner, telling the world she was Yakuza. If Yankumi wanted to keep her home-life a secret, she had better start thinking about her actions.

Yankumi stared at Shin as she hid behind Kuma. _Shhhh!_ She held a finger to her lips. Shin stared back unblinkingly. _Baka._

* * *

Davina smoothed the edges of her skirt. She bent her knees to rub her legs to be sure that every inch of her skin was smooth as silk. She fingered the ringlets in her hair, not a single strand was out of place. She leaned in towards her reflection, checking her mascara. Her eye makeup wasn't smudged, her powder foundation blended beautifully from her forehead to her neck and her beaded earrings added a subtle glamour to her outfit.

She was ready. The food was ready. She glanced at her room for a final check; it was clean. Her clock glared the time brightly from her nightstand. It was 17:36. Butterflies pattered in her stomach excitedly. That had been the case ever since Shin approached her the former day. The butterflies and the nerves had killed her appetite, kept her up late that night, and ruined all her abilities for decision-making. _Tomato puree or pre-made sauce? Skirt or dress ?_

Davina flipped open her purse and found her phone. Still no message from Shin. She imagined he would call her once he arrived at the military base. She grabbed a light coat and her military ID and left the apartment.

* * *

"Good evening, Ms. Summons." The door guard nodded to her and buzzed the door to release the lock.

"Evening," Davina grinned as she pushed the door open. The soft evening breeze brushed against her face and Davina couldn't help but smile at the orange sky. The wind grew stronger as she strolled down the side walk towards the road crossing. She wrapped her jacket around her, still enjoying the cool brush of wind against her skirt and legs.

Davina reached the corner of the street and waited near the wall as pedestrians and cars swift by in a blur. A young school couple passed by her and Davina looked on happily. They were both eating ice cream cones and the boy wrapped an arm around the girl to pull her closer. The girl giggled as he whispered something in her ear.

Davina squeezed the zipper strap of her jacket over her chest, daydreaming. She spotted the cafes across the street, remembering the times she had spent with Jayla and Mira. Her stomach churned when she pictured sitting on the balcony with Shin. She also pictured sitting on the chairs with Shin, Jayla and Mira. By then, it wouldn't be a big deal for Shin to be in her life.

She went through the list of the contacts in her phone for the sake of seeing Shin's name. She clicked one too far and saw Tatsuya's profile. In a swift motion, she deleted his contact information. The cursor pulsed on Shin's name and Davina relaxed once more.

"My, you look spectacular tonight, Ms. Summons," uttered a Southern voice in front of Davina as a speedy car roared down the road, startling her. She hit the 'end call' button on her phone then faced Sam Williams, inhaling a deep breath of relief. It was just Sam.

"Oh, hey Sam, thanks..." Davina tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. He was still in his ASIJ school clothes, judging by the school's initials on his sweater, yet his demeanor was very casual, unlike the night where she first met him. No military personnel around and ultimately, the lack of a formal atmosphere. Davina thought he looked much better without the tie, suit, and over-gelled hair. She suddenly remembered how agitated she had been that night due to little sleep, Tatsuya, Shin, and ballet. "Please, sorry for my grumpiness last Friday."

Sam laughed sincerely. "Don't worry about it, it was _refreshing _actually." He adjusted his book bag strap more securely over his shoulder as he moved in closer.

"Really? Davina chuckled, relieved that for _once _her exhaustion hadn't marred a first impression. "Are you adjusting well to Tokyo?"

Sam yawned loudly but then smiled. "Oh excuse my rudeness! The time change has been killer. It's been a pain to not fall asleep during class, but when I get home, I sleep until 3 in the morning. Usually, I'm pretty quick about it, but not this time for some unknown reason. It's why I haven't seen much of Tokyo yet, but I want to—"

"Oh, where were you stationed before?" Davina glanced down the road, hoping to see Shin, but saw no sight of him.

"Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Completely different from Tokyo, from what I've seen so far. A nice change though." Sam answered, not noticing how Davina was paying attention to the sidewalks.

"Are they bringing in more officers to Japan?" Davina asked.

Sam calculated. "Hmm, not more than usual honestly. I'm surprised we didn't stay in the Middle East. There were talks of Egypt or Israel for us."

"Us too. I figured _another_"_—_Davina rolled her eyes at the thought of relocating—"move was inevitable."

Sam held his head down in silence for a moment. "Yeah, where were you before?"

"New York City." Davina said softly waiting for Sam's response.

His eyes grew wide, but he shook his hair over his forehead to mask his astonishment. "I'm... I'm sorry—

"Don't be." The air grew thick and silence fell between them as if they forgot about their urban surroundings. "Everyone I knew was safe. Some of my classmates weren't so lucky."

"It's why we're both here, right? Thank goodness everyone you knew was safe."

Davina clenched the pockets of her jacket then suddenly relaxed herself when she realized she was tense. She leaned against the gate, her eyes fixed on the soft cherry blossom petals in some distant tree down by the park.

Sam was honestly impressed that Davina could even indicate such a tragedy while still remaining composed. It either meant that she didn't care or that she was strong. Judging by her dark, somber expression, she must have been strong.

The wind blew Davina's long hair over her face and she shuddered slightly. Sam wondered deeply he should try to comfort her. He held out an arm to hug her but stopped halfway, then deciding to scratch the side of his head instead. Change the subject, his gut wrenched.

"So, where do you like to hang out in Tokyo?" Sam asked for the sake of continuing the conversation and lighting up the mood.

Davina lifted her head slowly and fragile. It was the first time that Sam noticed her eyes were green. She straightened herself and tucked a chunk of hair behind her ear. "I like... Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Ginza is lovely as well." She bit her lip and looked down at her feet, trying to remember the district name of Shirokin.

Sam laughed, "that's a long list of places." He paused for a moment, Davina noticed. Sam scratched his head once more then faced Davina again. "Listen, if you ever wanna go be tourists around Tokyo with me—

"Shin!" Davina gasped, her fingers had rushed to her lips, feeling a mixture of excitement and embarrassment. When she finally peered up, there was stood Shin, clad in a knit beige sweater, black trousers, and his usual rings and chain. Hands in pockets, his poker face in play, _Shin _had arrived in the entire sense.

Davina's heart was beating a million times a minute. She stepped forward towards Shin while turning back and forth from Sam to Shin. "Oh, Sam, this is...Shin." She gestured her arm to Shin and bit her lip; she had thought about saying '_my friend _Shin,' but feared her words would have been too casual. "And Shin—" Davina gestured back to Sam—"this is Sam."

The boys met eyes briefly; Shin being completely mute and calm while Sam leaned back cautiously, while he waited for a response from the stranger boy. However, as Davina approached Shin, Sam was internally debating on whether to stay away from Shin or closer to Davina.

"Hi Shin," Davina smiled as stood in between Sam and Shin.

"_Sashiburi_." Shin responded causing Davina to laugh. She could feel Sam fidget behind her.

"_It's been one day!_" Davina answered back, playfully smacking Shin's arm. Before Shin could respond, Sam mumbled to Davina. "You...speak Japanese...?"

Davina twisted back, unsure by his tone if he were asking a question. "Hmmm?"

"She speaks it well." Shin answered for Davina, turning the focus to him. Davina's cheeks grew rosy while Sam was further stunned as his brows lifted.

"Well...not really..." Davina managed to say, twisting back and forth to Shin and Sam.

"You speak English?" Sam also said, directed towards Shin, his attention fixed on him.

"Yes, he speaks it well." Davina turned back to Shin, thinking maybe he could blush as well. His poker face remained as strong as ever. Davina pouted. Psh, typical Shin. "Well, I don't want the zitti to get cold. Shall we go inside?"

Sam brushed away his fringe to avoid eye contact with Davina. "Oh, you two are having dinner, _together._"

Davina wasn't listening, already fishing out her military ID to hand to the guard. Sam took one last glance of Shin from head to toe, trying to make a solid judgment of the long-haired boy. Shin didn't seem interested or intimidated by him; Sam sighed then watched as Davina cheerily filled out the guest paperwork for Shin. Sam shook his head.

"Shin?" Davina's voice brought Sam back to reality. "Can you show him your school ID, please?"

Sam allowed Shin to step in front of him, flipping through his wallet for his student card. Neither of one of them paid attention as Sam stood by on the sidewalk to watch them together. _Shin_ or whatever his name was, was not a foreign diplomat's son nor was he an army-brat. Normally, international students and kids stuck together. He was native Japanese, which was fine. But seeing him and Davina together was a sight Sam could not understand. Sure, Sam didn't know Davina very well, but he trusted his judgment of character. He had liked the girl he had met that night of the formal dinner. Sharp, witty, unforgiving yet empathetic.

Sam quickly flashed another guard his military ID and was waved through with ease. "Welcome back Mr. Williams." The guard's words were left unheard as Sam was still staring at Davina and Shin. Davina was grinning brightly as Shin quickly wrote in his information. He heard her laugh and was surprised when he cringed. Davina also didn't how when Shin glanced up, the guard's face munched up in suspicion. "Mr. Williams?"

Sam shook his head. "Huh?" He squeezed his military ID, unsure of when the guard handed the card back to him.

"Are you entering or exiting?" The guard sternly asked.

Sam exhaled as he took one last glance at Davina and Shin; they were being waved in by the guard. Davina casually met eyes with Sam and waved 'bye' as she led Shin into the base. Shin meanwhile stood next to her, yet, even while he was physically close to her, Sam couldn't see any true familiarity between Shin and Davina.

Sam gave a wide wave of his arm to gesture 'bye.' "I'm entering, sir." He uttered to the guard who leaned against the wall to allow him through. Sam exhaled deeply again as he crossed the gate, unable to get a bad taste out of his mouth.

* * *

"Konbanwa!" Davina gave a slight bow of her head as she strolled into the corridor.

The three receptionists smiled politely and replied with "Konbanwa."

Shin paused briefly at the doorway to fully intake the beauty of the halls. It resembled a hotel, he first thought as he noticed the several couches in the lobby with a full reception desk with all Japanese workers. In front of him was a full grand stair case that glittered brightly under the glass chandeliers. He stared down at his feet and saw elegant red carpeting decorated with floral designs. As he slipped past the reception, he met eyes with the Japanese individuals and gave a slight nod of his head, to which they bowed as well.

Davina hailed for the elevator, occasionally pointing her toes in order to satisfy her excited limbs. As the elevator door _dinged_ a group of Americans, some in military uniform, probably in their mid thirties, laughed gleefully as they entered the lobby. Shin could hear their laughter echo behind him.

When the elevator doors opened, Shin allowed Davina to enter first, then followed her inside. Davina pushed the button for the fourth floor, then they rode up. Davina couldn't muster the nerve to look at Shin, who stood at her left side. The air was tight in small elevator and whenever the elevator shook, Davina's arm slightly brushed against the soft fabric of his sweater. She had wanted to say that he liked his sweater earlier when they were still outside, but Sam had been an unexpected coincidence. She dully watched the numbers above the door glow, _L...1...2..._

Shin saw Davina's reflection stare up in the silver doors of the elevator. He saw her glance down for a moment, then bite her lip and sigh. She smoothed out her jacket and skirt. Finally at the fourth floor, the elevator _dinged_ once more than opened the doors.

Davina strode out of the elevator, relieved for open air, then slipped past a janitor with a mop. Shin followed behind but slower. From behind, he appreciated how her skirt showed off the length of her smooth-looking legs. The janitor lifted his head at Shin then continued mopping the floor. Also Japanese, Shin thought.

"That room," Davina pointed suddenly across to the end the long hall, "is unoccupied. And this is my home." She said as they reached a tall and heavy door with the numbers _404_ molded in the center. She produced her keys then opened the door.

Shin saw her walk in with her shoes so he followed suit.

It took Davina until she was nearly in the kitchen to realize Shin's dilemma with taking off his shoes. He still hadn't stepped into the house and Davina remembered her own shoes were still on her feet. Some families in the other apartments stuck with the tradition of removing shoes at the door for cleanliness, but Davina's family didn't mind. Davina ran back to the door, wondering if she should remove her shoes. "Oh, go ahead and put your shoes by the door."

Shin said nothing as he unlaced his shoes then set his feet into carpet carefully, one by one. Davina felt like hitting herself in the face. How could she forget such a strong Japanese custom? "I can give you slippers if you want?" She harshly bit her lip, hearing the embarrassment creep in the pitch of her voice.

Shin was silent as he removed his shoes and set them by the door. Davina's hands shook in frantic nerves, but she forced herself to be still as Shin stood up. Davina turned back to the kitchen, remembering she had intended to go there.

"So, hungry? Let me serve the zitti." She led him to the dining table. As she pulled out a chair for Shin to seat, he looked over his shoulder at the apartment. From the kitchen and dining area, he could see the living room decorated with a coffee table, cream colored couches, a book case, and framed family photos.

"Shin?" Davina mumbled with her hands on the chair. Shin slowly turned back and sat in the dinning chair. He heard Davina sighed behind them, then skip off into the kitchen. Shin touched the dark red wood under his fingertips, feeling the warm light from the chandelier hanging high above him. Sounds of Davina gathering plates and silverware echoed into dining room.

Idiot! Davina thought to herself. Why didn't you set the table earlier, you silly girl? She hurried, but _gracefully_, set down two plates at opposite sides of the table, napkins, and silverware. Stay _graceful, _Davina, she ordered herself. When she was satisfied with the presentation of the table, she skipped back to the kitchen for the salad and the zitti.

Balancing the salad bowl and the still hot glass baking-plate on her arms, Davina rushed back into the dining room and immediately placed them at the center of the table. Rubbing the hot skin on her arm, she returned to the kitchen to put to her arm into the sink. She sighed gratefully as the cool water quieted the hot flashing on her skin. "Get a hold of herself, Davina." She said to herself out loud as if thinking weren't enough.

After a few seconds, she turned off the faucet, and grabbed two glasses. Hurrying back the dining room, Davina stopped suddenly. The dining room was empty with a lone chair pulled out. Where did Shin go? She jumped as the crashing of glass in front of her feet.

While Davina had been setting the table, Shin had been lured away by curiosity into the living room. He had glanced at the cream colored couches and the book titles on the book shelves. He recognized a few of the English titles, but also noticed many FSI language acquisition books: French, Russian, Arabic, Azeri, and Japanese. He stepped along a shelf with several framed family photos, many with youngster Davina smiling in front of world famous monuments: Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, Hag Sophia... The rest were set in various surroundings, ocean or desert, with whom Shin figured to be Davina's parents. Just the three of them for most of the photographs. He picked up the frame with a teen Davina wearing sunglasses, tanned face, arms, and legs, sitting on a bench overlooking a large Mosque and the ocean. By herself, he thought. Davina was an only child.

SMASH!

Shin lifted his head then set the photograph back on the shelf. He returned to the dining room and saw Davina hunched over, carefully picking up pieces of sharp glass in her hands.

"Ow!" Davina dropped the pieces of glasses and clenched her hand. Shin approached her slowly, sat next to her and reached for her hand. "Here," He said softly to her, "let me help."

Shin saw the redness on her arm, but focused on the thin red line gushing with blood in the palm of her hand. He reached onto the table for one of the extra napkins and pressed it against her hand, squeezing it with his.

Davina took strained breaths, surprised by the loudness of her breathing in the silence between them. She could feel the pressure from Shin's squeeze from her palm to her forearm.

Davina's red hair glittered in the warm light, Shin noticed. He rather liked the waves in her hair, he thought, smelling the sweet scent of her shampoo. Davina's attention was fixed on the hand-charm on Shin's chain that rested on the collar of Shin's sweater. She knew the meaning that of symbol and she had known for a while and been meaning to tell Shin but always grew too nervous or simply forgot during their time together. She gulped, remembering how close Shin was to her, comforting her after she cut her hand. She suddenly saw his lips; she bit her own, not allowing herself to think of the distance between his and hers.

Shin's eyes met hers. He had caught her staring. Davina wanted to pull away as her stomach wrenched with nerves, but she remained frozen by Shin's piercing stare. Davina internally yelled at herself to stay composed, but, fascinated, she stared back at his dark brown eyes. His grip had loosen on her hand, but was still firm. Shin tilted his head to the side towards hers. When she didn't move closer, Shin's other arm grace along her stomach to the back, to pull her into his embrace.

The air was too thick; Davina gasped, then shook her head at Shin and quickly stood her to feet. She lifted the napkin from her hand and saw she had stopped bleeding. "I'd better go clean this up. I'll be right back."

Davina was half way into the bathroom, yet she still heard Shin's disappointed sigh and his scrapping sound of the glass being swept away. She checked her cheeks, were they just rosy or did she wear too much blush? She turned on the faucet and soaped the cut on her hand, mentally kicking herself. Way to go Summons. She had gotten nervous and effectively ruined the moment.

Of course, Davina _did _consider the possibility of kissing Shin that night, but not really in the end. Sauce and her parents ended up taking up her mental processing. Davina had also been too embarrassed to plan for it so to speak. But then again, in her mind, she had planned to gracefully serve Shin dinner, maybe exchange stories over tea in the living room, and meanwhile she would have stunned Shin. Wow, she's put together, he would though, or so her mind though. In her mind, the date would have been flawless. So far, they didn't have salad and she already burned and cut herself. Plus, she thought she looked ugly in the mirror now, and she gave up what might have been her first kiss.

"Suck it up, Davina." She leaned in towards her reflection. Maybe not flawless, but Davina was determined for the date to go well. She left the bathroom and returned to the dining room.

The glass had been cleaned and Shin was sitting at the table with his elbows balancing up his head on the table. His expression was blank, yet she knew he was waiting for her to decide their next action. Davina smiled confidently and sat at the table. "Sorry for the wait, Shin. Now, how about we enjoy our food?"

Davina grabbed the salad bowl and held out her uninjured hand to Shin. "Would you like some salad?"

Shin dropped his hands then smirked and passed her his plate. "Sumimasen."

Davina relaxed as she scooped lettuce leaves onto his plate. "Dozo."

"Arigatou gozaimasu."

"Itadakimasu!" Davina waited a few moments as Shin stabbed his fork on his food and ate, making sure he didn't grimace or choke. He simply chewed his food and continued packing more with his fork for another mouthful.

Davina felt another wave of relaxation. So far, so good.

* * *

Technically, the next chapter isn't going to be Chapter 13. More like Chapter 12 part 2. "But why Rynn," you're probably asking, "why separate the chapter into two parts?" What a wonderful question? Mostly for length! Also as a breather for the reader. I'm sure you all saying "Oh, Rynn! You care so much about us!" ***winks* **Thank you for reading and dealing with my inability to update sooner. I promise, since the next chapter is part two to this, to upload it immediately. Again, thanks :)


	13. Chapter 13: The Date 2

Exams are over! Yes! Summer! **Blows party horn **

Oh, Raging Lulu, you make me sound like a villain ;) Thingship was priceless by the way XD And thank you and to Alexis to reaffirming me that Davina was NOT a mary sye. It makes me want to cry tears of joy because it's one of the main deal breakers for OC stories. Cheri, do I get my cookie back now? :) rainbow-kitten, believe it or not, I get nervous writing this sometimes. I'm glad it made your day brighter and wohoo to us for finishing our exams! Alexis, thank you so much for your review. It really means a lot to me that you said such great things about this story. Thank you for reading :) Whisper of Yesterday, I'm glad I read your future mind ;) and thank you for your beautiful comments. Darkredcrystal, no reason to have a heart attack yet when nothing has happened between them...yet. -black-.x.-rabbit, thank you so much for loving this story! Let's just say that my eagerness to finally have something happen between them is slowly overwhelming my enjoyment of watching them suffer ;)

Undying thanks to my loyal reviewers and to new reviewers as well! Thank you to -black-.x.-rabbit-, Darkredcrystal, Whisper of Yesterday, Alexis, rainbow-kitten91, Cheri, and Raging Lulu. Without you all, who knows if I would have made it this far! I dearly wish I could fully express my gratitude to each and every one of you, but alas, those comments would be nearly as long as the story!

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Thirteen (aka Twelve Part 2)

* * *

So far, so good. Davina carved out a square of steamy, cheesy, zitti and carefully maneuvered it on Shin's plate. She replaced his plate in front of him, ignoring the prickly pain in her cut hand, and with a straight face, carved a portion out for herself. She was grateful to have her hands busy, as but for the sounds of her cutlery motions, it was overly silent in the house. Shin hadn't said much and appeared to be mentally occupied and Davina would be lying if she said it didn't cause her to doubt the date so far.

Shin's eyes followed the steamy air that floated from his plate, "itadakimasu." Davina briefly froze from surprise when she saw Shin's gracious smile, blurred partially through stream.

"Bon appetit." Davina said through habit, then nodded politely to signal that Shin could begin eating and continued to quietly set her plate.

Shin picked up his fork and stabbed at the pieces of penne pasta. Hmmm, a French saying; he recalled the FSI language books on the shelves. He had seen Davina sigh softly to herself and wondered if she had noticed his mind was somewhere else.

After school had ended earlier that day, Shin walked right by Asakura-san under the canopy of trees. With a tiny nod of the head, both communicated mutual respect. It was at that moment, the words of Yankumi's grandfather replayed clearly in his memory. A Yakuza boss, as Shin stereotyped, would have threatened Shin to keep his mouth shut. However, the boss only sincerely asked, "let me ask you, man-to-man, please keep my business a secret."

For the Yakuza boss, or Yankumi's grandfather to actually bow to Shin and refer to him as a man meant a lot to Shin and that determined the concern the boss felt for the quirky homeroom teacher. And earlier that day, as Asakura-san was readying the takoyaki booth, he said with faint sadness that becoming a teacher was Yankumi's dream and that she would not become the fourth Oedo boss. Shin had once again been awed by the selflessness of the Oedo Yakuza.

Part of Shin knew he had uncovered gold in Yankumi's secret and such could have been used as blackmail. Before, maybe, he would have used such precious information to prank or as a shield of protection from his untrustworthy teacher. However, Shin had already decided that Yankumi's secret was safe with him.

Davina, meanwhile, was playing with her fork, swirling around her food, too nervous to take a bite. She occasionally made sly glances at Shin, checking his face for signs of disgust or choking. Shin was unfocused, distant; she hoped it wasn't due to her cooking or her cutting her hand earlier.

"Does your hand hurt?" Shin asked abruptly, catching Davina off guard who had gotten used to the silence. Was she really that obvious or could that boy really read her mind?

Davina squeezed her fork and stabbed a piece of penne. "Huh? Why do you ask?"

Her hand was shaking, perhaps tender due to the bandage, and she hadn't taken a bite of her food yet, Shin thought to himself. "Just asking," Shin curtly replied.

Davina blinked. Again, she was taken aback by Shin's random and subtle concern. Shin continued to eat his food, while Davina finally took her first bite. The tomato-y and cheesy smell made her mouth water as she brought the fork to her lips. She couldn't help but let out an "hmmm." She hadn't realized how hungry she had been.

"Oishi, ne?"

Davina couldn't help but smile. "Thank you." Her parents had told her countless times before that they liked her zitti dish, yet hearing it from Shin made her well up in such happiness that it seemed like she was hearing it for the first time.

She had intended to be graceful and virtually flawless for the dinner. She had painfully learned that such perfection for the sake of her hand would not be attained. However, Shin's mere presence and the thought of his concern relaxed her in such a way that she nearly forgot the pain in her hand. Remembering the way he applied pressure and held her close, why could people, like Headteacher or Tatsuya and his friends at Shirokin for example, make such hasty judgments of Shin?

_You have nothing to gain by being with Sawada._ A mental transcript of Tatsuya's words caused Davina to slightly recoil in her chair. Her jittery hand flexed in her lap, recalling how hard she had squeezed her chair while hearing Tatsuya and his friends make such snide remarks about Shin, Yamaguchi-sensei, and 3-D. Why? Davina looked at Shin from across the table, feeling nauseating guilt from simply listening to those nasty comments.

Shin hadn't peaked up, but he clearly saw Davina's worried face. He realized he hadn't said much and still wondered if she sensed his preoccupation.

"You made this yourself?" Shin asked, again cutting the thick silence.

"Mmhmm." Davina swallowed another bit of food. "By myself."

"Davina," Shin called.

Davina nearly dropped her utensils. "Yeah Shin?"

Shin pointed to his chin, "you have cheese on your chin."

Davina's throat tightened, nearly causing her to choke. She left her utensils in her food and reached for her napkin. Shin quietly laughed as she frantically padded her chin. Davina sighed, more embarrassed by her action than the cheese itself.

Oh, Davina dejectedly thought to herself. This date was NOT going according to plan. She gingerly smoothed her napkin in her lap, still feeling the tender cut on the palm of her hand, even while it was covered by a bandage.

"Does your hand still hurt?" Shin repeated earnestly, leaving Davina dazzled again.

"Hmm? Oh, it's alright." Davina flexed her hand to show Shin she could still move it with ease, however sharp pain spiked through her hand. "Why you ask?"

Shin stirred away. "You were rubbing the bandage with your thumb."

She hadn't realized that she had been picking at the wound. No wonder he asked twice. "My hand's fine...thanks for caring." She allowed the volume of her voice to shrink into a whisper for the latter half of her comment. Shin didn't give any indication that he had heard. No murmur or nodding of his head, just sounds of his silverware gliding against his plate.

When Shin didn't look up, Davina focused on her dinner, absolutely starving, but too nervous to eat large bites.

"Is your family Russian?" Shin asked without warning, without lifting his eyes from his plate.

Davina blinked, not expecting the question. "Um, no, not as far as I know. My mother's side is purely French. My dad is American born, but fairly mixed with British, Irish, some Italian..." Davina wondered if she should tell Shin about her Japanese great grandfather... but before she could decide, she blurted it out. "...Japanese."

Shin glanced up, slightly perplexed, as if to see if Davina's complexion should any evidence of Japanese heritage. The thought never occurred to Davina that she might actually _look_ a little Japanese. However, she knew that such a minority part of her family history wasn't so precisely displayed in her features.

"My father's ¼ Japanese, which makes me 1/8." Davina said oddly. It felt _odd _for her to even acknowledge her tiny bit of Japanese heritage. In her mind, when the time came, she expected to be shy about telling Shin.

Davina had been successful at avoiding blushing, but she had correctly predicted her reaction.

Shin scrutinized her face structure, even from his distance, and concluded that she looked very un-Japanese, not in a negative sense though. "I never would have guessed." He uttered dryly, returning to eat his food.

It was silent again, save the sounds of Shin's quiet chewing.

Davina remained keen on Shin, curious about his curiosity, no matter how vague he tried to display it.

"Hey, Shin?" Davina began finally. "Why did you ask if my family was specifically Russian?"

Shin swallowed the bite of food in his mouth, taking his time. "You speak Russian, don't you?"

Davina was dully confused. She thought back and suddenly remembered the time at the train station with those Russian tourists. "Well, I know only a little bit of Russian." She held up two fingers to show 'a little' as most people did.

Shin continued on, figuring that since her family was stationed in Japan, she had probably been stationed elsewhere. "Where did you learn Russian?"

Davina scratched her cheek; she had _eventually _expected these questions to surface, but _not today!_ "From when I was about 13 or so, living in Baku, Azerbaijan. There I learned bits of Russian and Azeri. The official language there was Azeri, but most of the people I knew there were educated in Russian."

Shin processed Davina's words, not knowing an Azerbaijani to confirm it, but he had no reason to disbelieve her. Shin then remembered for the first time when he had first asked Davina if she were American and the long gap of silence between his question and her answer. She had given him the short-sweet version. Normally, Shin wouldn't pry into someone's business, but even while Noda, Minami, Uchi, and Kuma had drilled him earlier with their own questions, Shin admittedly himself was quite interested as well. Davina also wasn't sending him a lead. He had waited for her to openly share her past, but he decided that she could be waiting for someone else to open the door.

"Remember when I asked you if you were American?" Shin said, plainly yet Davina couldn't help but smile. Did Shin understand now? "Well, are you really American or did you say that because you weren't expecting to see me again?"

Davina's eyes widened due to the bluntness of the latter half of his question, but she relaxed, figuring this was Shin's sense of humor. "I wasn't lying, you know. I _am _American, but through my father's birthright. I was not born there, nor have I spent the majority of my life there."

Shin knew he had been gravely misled by her original answer, however, he couldn't blame her still. Davina now saw she held his undivided attention, regardless of what distracted his mind earlier. For the first time ever, Davina felt at ease when sharing her story, even with a language barrier.

Davina nudged her head to refer to the living room. "Did you by any chance see the photo of a brown-haired woman carrying a child with a desert beach behind her?"

Shin merely nodded, vaguely remembering photo.

"I was born there. In Algiers, Algeria." Davina declared.

Shin's face squinted slightly. He certainly hadn't been expecting that.

Davina pointed to a large blue-eyed wall ornament hanging above the couch. "There my mother learned of the Evil Eye. Ever since, that ornament has followed us from all sides of the globe."

Shin didn't remember perceiving it before, but didn't think it was particularly shaped like an eye. "Other than the bits of baby Arabic, images of the political demonstrations, and the daily quince call to prayer, I don't remember much from Algeria. The part of my childhood that I can tell you about I was living in Paris, France.

"My mother's family was nearby, along the Mediterranean coast, so I became very close to them then. There was also where I took my first ballet class." Davina said with beaming with subdue passion.

Shin heard a faint leap in her voice for the latter half of her statement. He smiled. He recalled her holding her little pink slippers, and waiting for the doors to slam on them. "To break them in," Davina had said pointedly. Again, Shin did not know any other ballerinas to confirm the odd demeanor they took to break in their shoes, but Shin left it at that. It wasn't as if he actually thought to _argue _such behavior.

Davina stared off, away from the table, reminiscing on the powerful excitement that ran in her veins when she aspired to be just like—no better than those long, graceful woman, gliding across the floor on their toes, as if without effort. Her father before had zero interest in ballet, wouldn't even feign it for Davina's mother. However, he had cheered Davina on, sometimes obnoxiously, at her recitals.

Or at least when she was younger at least.

"How long did you stay in France?" Shin asked when he noticed her mood turning sour.

Davina dismissed the thought and returned her attention to Shin. "We stayed for a long time, at least in comparison to the other places. I was about eight when we left Europe to live in America for the first time." Her exterior became chipper again and Shin relaxed.

"First, it was New York City, then to Raleigh, North Carolina for a short time. Then the army decided that they wanted my father in California, so we moved to San Diego."

Even Shin at this point was beginning to lose track. For many, the universal question of 'where are you from?' was regarded as a conversation-starter. No wonder Davina kept such details to herself.

"My parents actually got bored of living in the states, so they both took international projects, which moved us to Baku, Azerbaijan, then later London, United Kingdom. For my dad's job then my mom's job respectively. A few years later, even my parents decided that they wanted to settle down in one place, and they chose New York. We all honestly thought it was a permanent move, but then the Twin Towers were attacked."

Shin peered away then down to the ground. He also hadn't expected that.

"My father told my mother and me that on the days of the attacks to not get too comfortable. My mother believed we would go to the middle east, but we came to Japan instead." Davina remember what it had been like to sit on the stairs and ask her father about the sudden but inevitable relocation. He had been short with her because of her smart-alack comment. _"Get rid of that snappy attitude of yours, Davina."_

Shin could sense pangs of sadness from Davina, unsure if it was due to her move to Japan or something else. "Where do you consider home?"

Davina sighed at the question. She had asked herself that many times in her life and never found a solid answer. Many considered home to be their place of birth, but for Davina, she honestly had no emotional tie to Algiers other than her birth. "I guess I've always considered home to be a place where I can dance in peace." She ended with a meek closed-eye smile.

Shin doubted the full sincerity of her smile, but didn't say anything. "Does that mean you've always felt like a foreigner?"

Davina, startled, opened her eyes and let her mouth hang slightly agape. Then she bit her lip and hummed to herself in thought. Shin exhaled slowly, already regretting his question.

"You mean, _gaijin?—_Shin flinched at the term—"My whole life. When I was younger, it was not as apparent, but even I felt foreign in America, with my U.S. passport, when we first moved there. Oh, but I'm used to it by now."

Shin knew that last bit was to reassure him, but he wasn't certain.

"Really! It's not a big deal." Davina said again, firmly.

Shin's poker face was staring at her, how could Davina be sure that she convinced him? She felt it was time to change the subject. "How are the boys in 3D doing since midterms?"

Shin didn't say anything for a few moments, worrying Davina that her changing of the topic was too soon. "Noda came clean to Fujiyama. Headteacher had made a mistake on the exam, and Kuma ended up with 29, not the 30 needed to save Fujiyama from getting fired. It wasn't until after Noda told Fujiyama about his photograph of her working at the club in Ginza, that Headteacher's mistake was pointed out. Everyone makes mistakes as Yankumi says."

There it was again, the slightest of smiles swept across his face and was gone within a blink of an eye. Davina hadn't been certain if she hadn't been imagining it. "I'm guessing that Fujiyama is especially upset with Noda..."

"On the contrary, he's happier than ever. Immediately after school was dismissed, Noda made a pact with her that if he scored 80 points on his final exam, she would agree to go out on a date with him."

Davina remembered Noda during the exam study time. Later in the week, Davina noticed he had been yawning more, puffy gray circles under his eyes, he would fidget in his seat restlessly if as he were always agitated. However, his dedication was remarkable. And he did it. He had done more than the absolute bare minimum. As Davina's dad would say, he had hit that ball out of the park, and it was going, going, gone.

Davina saw for herself the first study guide Yankumi wrote and Noda and the rest of 3D were right to be happy. "She agreed?"

Shin smoothed his hair behind his neck and adjusted his charm necklace on his collar. Davina placed her elbows on the table to rest her head in her hands. She leaned in to get a better look, _that charm..._

"I didn't hear her response, but he walked away in embrace with Minami, Kuma, and Uchi, and exclaimed that he was going to treat everyone." Shin's thumb graced on the edge of his lip, thoughtfully.

"Hmm, didn't you go with them?" Davina piped up.

Shin's brow lifted, but he was still overly calm. She hadn't known she had touched, however indirectly, on something crucial that Shin had meant to keep secret. Behind his own thumb, Shin smirked, reminding himself not to get too ahead of himself. "Remember, the cell phone I showed you?"

Davina nodded.

"I was returning it to the owner, and remember, I was with you."

Oh, she definitely remembered. Davina had managed to control her blushing, but the excitement that sprouted from that single incident was enough to make Davina bare her teeth. She thought back to Noda, trying to imagine him extremely happy. "That's love, isn't it?"

Shin didn't respond, waiting for Davina to finish.

"From what I have gathered about 3D during my short time with them, is that...many people don't have confidence in them. Noda was able to combat that, not just for himself or Fujiyama, but for all of 3D."

It was not difficult to read in between the lines for Shin. He had earlier suspicions, but figured to wait to act on them. "Has Tsuchida or anyone else from 3C tried to contact you since the last you saw them?"

Davina shook her head. "I haven't seen or heard from Tatsuya since Saturday. And I prefer it that way."

Shin carefully nodded. He had intended to say that Tsuchida hadn't shown up for the last couple of days, but Davina didn't need to hear it. He didn't want to fumble over a sensitive topic. Another subject change was needed.

"How do your parents take to you doing ballet?" Shin asked, more lightly.

Davina's expression didn't chipper up like Shin had expected. "My parents don't dislike me doing ballet, as much as they don't want me to invest too much hope in going pro. Back in New York, there was going to be an autumn audition for a ballet institute that I dearly want to attend. Go to college, they keep saying, what everyone keeps saying. I wanted to stay in New York while my parents came to Japan, but my parents already didn't want me living alone. I can't _wait_ until I'm out on my own."

Shin opened his mouth as if to say something, but did not utter a word.

_"When I move out, I won't have to deal with that old man!"_

_"Things will be better when I move out." _

"_Soon, I'll be able to do my own thing, without my parents interfering."_

"_I'll never have to babysit again! When I make MY plans, nothing will change them, except me!"_

Kuma's, Uchi's, Noda's, and Minami's voice echoed in Shin's mind. Shin had yet to tell anyone about his living situation and he wasn't sure if he would ever be open about it. No one asked about his family and how living with them was.

Perhaps it was the lighting and the shadows, but Davina sat somberly in silence. Shin put his fork next to his now empty plate and with a sigh, rose from his chair. "_Toirei_?"

"Oh, bathroom?" Davina pointed to the hallway, "second door on the right."

Without another word, Shin left the dining room. Davina's eyes were fixed on his empty chair, never realizing how loud steps sounded in the dining room.

Davina groaned to herself, slamming her elbows on the table, her face in her hands. Was this what it was supposed to be like after the English midterm? She was glad that Shin dared to ask her such questions, but maybe he hadn't expected her less than thrilling responses? Maybe it was time for her to ask questions...but what sort of things do you ask _Shin Sawada?_

Davina studied the grain on the table top, wondering if she should check her makeup. What sort of things did Shin do on his own? What sort of things made Shin happy? What was he planning to do after graduating?

Where _was _Shin?

Maybe it was due to being alone, but Shin seemed to be gone for a long while...

Davina walked away from the dinner table and down the hall. The bathroom light was turned off and the door was slightly ajar. Her room light, near the bathroom, was lit. She tiptoed into her own room—rather silly—Davina thought to herself.

Shin's back was facing her initially, he was holding something.

"Shin?"

Unsurprised, he slowly twisted around, revealing a framed photo in his hands.

"Oh, one of my older ballet photos," Davina reached for the frame to gaze upon it herself. She was extending her leg high in the air in a leap. One of her best moves.

Shin remembered Noda proudly hauling his camera and laptop into the 3D homeroom. "I got footage of Davina's quick ballet dance from our last English study session." He quickly tapped keys and played a clip. Kuma, Minami, and Uchi leaned. "Sugoi!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Aren't you gonna take a look, Shin?" Kuma chided.

Shin so nearly asked "why?" but knew better. His friends, hell, everyone in 3D, thought he was entitled to be gushing over Davina or jumping every time she was mentioned. And Shin had zero clue as to why they could think that he was capable of such things.

"You know..." Davina set the frame back on her desk and walked over to her dresser. "You might think this is silly, I have a collection of my old shoes." She pulled open the double doors of the dresser and curtained her hanger of clothes and exposed cabinets of old, yet still beautifully decorated, ballet slippers.

Too many shoes to count, Shin gazed over the collection. Some were white, blue, red, black, but were most were still their true pink hue. Recalling what she had said about her first dance lesson being in France before age eight, she must have been dancing for a long time, most likely being the reason why she had worn so many. But why had she kept so many?

Davina glowed as she reached for a small snow white shoe. "These are actually demi Pointe, before you learn to go on Pointe or your toes." Tiny gray snowflake patterns glittered the white fabric with a small snowflake pendant above the box and opening of the shoe. "My mother got them for me when I was in my first production, the Nutcracker."

She must have been young, Shin concluded as the shoe itself was about as long as her hand.

"These shoes hold their own memories, which I guess is why I keep them. This pair was my first and is still my favorite."

When Shin didn't continue, Davina then bit her lip and return the shoe to its proper place. She tried to formulate a question for Shin. "Shin, have you done something like this?" She bit her lip again, hoping that Shin had interpreted her question as referring to her being committed to ballet instead of owning a collection.

Shin smoothed the hair on the back of his neck, having an answer to the question, but unsure if he wanted to answer. Finally, his hand fell to his side and he answered, "I played baseball for several years."

"Really?" Davina laughed. "What position?"

Shin shoved his hands into his pocket, restless from embarrassment from Davina's excitement. "Pitcher."

Shin. A pitcher? Wow...Davina thought vaguely. She dismissed her amazement for another curious question. "Do you still play?"

"Not officially." _Here it comes, _Shin mused to himself.

"Why not?" Davina asked sincerely.

Shin involuntarily sighed and shut his eyes for a few seconds. Davina immediately regretted her question, regardless of how natural flow of the conversation.

"I didn't mean to—

"No...Davina..." Feeling responsible for the sudden tension in the room, Shin decided it was necessary to answer. "Baseball was a part of my life before Shirokin. Back when I was still attending Chuo."

"Would you ever want to play again?" Davina asked, surveying his reaction.

Shin opened his mouth to utter something, but seemed to have lost it. "Never thought about it really."

Shin's poker face had paled into obvious sullenness, for which Davina blamed herself. Yet her curiosity begged for one more question to press forward. "But why did you leave Chuo?"

"I was kicked out."

Davina couldn't help the gasp that left her gut. She had never known anyone who had been kicked out of a school before. A wave of guilt overcame her when she met Shin's eyes. They were emotionless, but she knew better.

"Shin—

"I guess you can say, I got tired of it. The stuck up kids who were felt they were entitled to anything and everything they wanted. The lineage. The power-lusting teachers who didn't give a damn about anything but themselves."

"Wow..." Davina whispered, deeply astounded. She was staring back at Shin, but not attentive due to the dramatic thoughts in her mind.

The trademark face of surprise, Shin thought to himself. People who found out that he had been kicked out of a school wore that face without fail. He had said too much or shouldn't have said anything at all. Unaware of how to react, Shin simply balled his hands into fists in his pockets, turned around and headed for the door.

Before Shin could push the door aside, a strong grip on his forearm halted him.

Shin straightened and waited, but not turn around to face Davina.

Davina swallowed the lump in her throat and inhaled a calming breath of air. "You can leave if you really want to, Shin. Just know that I'm not judging you to be any less than when you first walked into my house. It's not a big deal."

She let the words float between them for a while, hoping for Shin to turn around. When he didn't, she let go. He took a step forward, respired heavily, and then casually turned around.

_It's not a big deal_, replayed in his mind as he looked down at Davina, her green eyes gazing seriously into his brown set, and her arms were crossed tightly over her chest. "_Uruse yo_." As the tension evaporated between them, Shin chuckled to himself, baring his teeth.

Finally, Davina dramatically sighed and laughed at herself. Stupid Shin.

Merely inches away from Shin's collar, Davina spotted his necklace hanging a large hand-shaped charm. Feeling the charm between her own fingers, Davina inspected the symbol, then smirked.

"Jainism?" Davina claimed, not expecting to be wrong.

Shin also touched around the palm edges of the charm. "For non-violence."

Davina giggled lightly. How could she possibly forget how 3-D acted? She once saw someone punch his friend in the arm as congratulation for answering an English question correctly. "Is 3-D a bad influence on you?" She quipped.

Shin uttered, "you're the first one who got it right." He then grabbed her hand and slowly led her arm to his shoulder. Davina didn't realize her smile had stiffened and that her cheeks were burning with pink. Shin's expression was so serious that Davina could only watch his side as his other hand glided through her hair, down her back, and stayed at her waist. His fingers graced gently along her cheek and hair, then finally cupping her chin. His brown eyes met her green set. She was blushing unlike ever before, and though her expression was strained at first, her lips gently spread into a soft smile.

Shin soon tugged her chin towards his and shut his eyes. Davina relaxed herself, closing her own eyes. His warm breath brushed against her cheek, when Davina abruptly pulled away.

"Wait, I heard something."

Sounds of a key jamming into the door lock and unlocking made Davina pull away from Shin.

No. She couldn't believe it. They _never _came home early...

"Davina? Hello? We're home."

Davina could hear the usual noise of her mother setting her large case in the living room, removing her suit blazer, exhaling in relief. Suddenly a loud set of steps pounded towards Davina's door. "Davina? Why didn't you clear off the table when you were finished?" Esmée stepped through the doorway, her casual, tired face overwhelmed by surprise when she laid her eyes on Shin standing inches away from Davina.

"Davina! Esmée rubbed her temples. _"You didn't tell us you had someone coming over."_

Without thinking about it, Davina responded back to her mother in French. _"Yes, I told you and dad yesterday, remember? Mere_, this is Shin." Davina gestured to Shin. Poor Shin, Davina thought grimly, however his poker face showed no signs of confusion or disarray.

"_Oh, Davina._ _We were thinking it was going to be some of your girlfriends, not a boy. Unsupervised! Ai yi yi, what is your father going to say?" _Esmée continued, pressing her temples as if a headache were coming on.

"Going to say about what?" Joined a stern, sturdy voice from the doorway.

Davina really wanted to kick herself at that moment; she failed to hide her discontentment with her cringing face. Her father, still in uniform, stood next to his wife, eying Shin from head to toe.

"Davina, you didn't say you were having company." Her father directed towards her, bit of disapproval leaking into his tone.

"But, dad! I did yesterday. Remember when I was preparing ingredients to cook zitti?" She said, trying to jog his memory. Davina was getting further agitated by having to repeat herself twice within under a minute about something her parents should have known.

"Esmée, didn't you say that her girlfriends were coming over?" The sergeant mumbled above his wife's ear.

"Dad, this is Shin. Shin, these are my parents." Davina simpered like never before, internally begging for her parents to not scare Shin away. She had never dreamed that Shin meeting her parents would have happened like this, but she needed to make the best of it.

Esmée smiled sweetly at Shin. "Pardon my rudeness, Shin, I am Esmée, Davina's mother—

Davina's father stepped forward towards Shin directly to shake his hand. "Davina's _father_, Sergeant Ken Summons of the United States Military."

This is not happening? Davina prayed glumly. He's already starting the militant intimidation, and he's barely been in the room for two seconds!

Shin politely offered his hand and roughly shook the sergeant's. "Sawada, Shin. Dozo Yoroshiku." Shin's expression lightened politely in greeting with the sergeant, however Ken's, Davina's father's, face remained cold as stone.

The sergeant studied Shin, from his hair to his shoes. Oh, Davina knew that look. It would take five seconds for Davina's father to decide if he liked him or not.

Dying to get out of the room, Davina pulled Shin away by the elbow at her first chance and began escorting him out. "Well, sorry that was short, but we all have school tomorrow and Shin has an early commute." Davina said shrilly. "Be right back."

"Goodnight, Shin." Esmée said dearly.

Shin gave a quick bow of his head. "Oyasuminasai."

Davina was already pulling Shin away before her father could offer his farewell face to face. "Goodbye, Shin." Her father's voice powerfully followed them all the way to the door. When the door shut behind her and locked, Davina leaned again it and inhaled with relief.

Shin smirked at her and she smiled back sheepishly. "Here, let me walk you to the gate."

* * *

Davina greeted the close breeze with joy as she strolled down the gate pathway next to Shin.

Her parents had had _impeccable_ timing. Shin had nearly kissed her and now it was impossible to recreate that moment. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched the pavement drift by her, consumed in disappointment.

Shin seemed mostly unaffected by her parents showing up, but every so often, he would glance at Davina, and softly chuckle to himself.

He stopped a bit away from the road crossing. "Gochisousama deshita." Shin uttered sincerely, forcing Davina's frown into a smile.

"You're welcome. And, I'm sorry...about my parents—

"_Betsuni._" Shin shrugged, judging by her already deep guilt, he knew his words alone wouldn't reassure her. "No big deal."

Davina set some stray hairs to her ear and then embraced Shin. She inhaled his sweet scent then let him go. "Good night, Shin. Get home safely."

Shin ran a hand through her hair then softly kissed her cheek. "Oyasumi." With that, Shin swiftly left to cross the road, leaving Davina there, dazed and unable to move. Her fingers gingerly touched her cheek. Squealing and grinning to herself, she happily couldn't decide if she needed to sit down or dance. She had loved his lips on her cheek. She had loved his touch on her waist. She had loved his smile and laugh. Oh, she couldn't wait to get back to her room and practice.

* * *

"What happened to your hand, Davina?" Her mother asked concernedly when Davina returned.

Davina had forgotten about her injured hand. "Just cut my hand on some glass, was an accident." She quickly grabbed Shin's plate, glass, and utensils to take into the kitchen.

Davina could feel her father's piercing scowl in her back from the couch, over his newspaper, as she cleared the table.

"I am appalled that you did not tell your mother nor me that you were having a boy over." He scolded and loudly turned the paper page.

"Daddy, I'm seventeen. It's not that big of deal. I don't know what you're thinking, but you can trust me." Davina grabbed her plate to take into her room, maybe she could finally get some food in her stomach.

"Davina! What do you expect me to think? I found a long-haired boy in my teenage daughter's bedroom!" Her father projected, meriting an unseen rolling of eyes from Davina. Her father's paranoid perception was worse than what it really was.

She ignored both of her parents' intensive stares and made her way to her room. "I'm gonna practice."

"Oh-kay," her mother said faintly, just as Davina's door shut. Esmée shook her head with a sigh, then continued her paperwork. Ken meanwhile pretended to be reading his newspaper, but was going over details in his head.

Shin. A full image of Shin displayed clearly in his memory. Even in his short time of observation, merely seeing his daughter standing next to that kid was perplexing. Yes, as Davina said, she was seventeen, so Ken knew he shouldn't be surprised by his daughter's interest in boys. It was their or Shin's interests in her that worried Ken. But what upset him the most was that his daughter had actually try to_ hide _the boy from himself and Esmée.

"I _told _you she was acting strange." Esmée quipped with satisfaction across from Ken.

* * *

Davina had to practice extra hard that night. She hadn't been focused in the last couple of days and she didn't want to slack off and have Madame notice.

Counting aloud for her exercises, she knew she was just standing a few feet from what he had almost kissed her. She could not wait until lunch the day after to share with Jayla and Mira the news. Davina's night hadn't turned out at all like she expected, and for that, she was dearly thankful.

_1...2...3...4..._

* * *

A's N: Let me make a confession, everyone. The main reason why I am taking so long with these new chapters is because I dearly wish for them to be good. For this chapter, I [figuratively] threw away pages I thought were scrap. I feel I owe it to you all to take the time and make the wait was semi-worth it. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I hope it was worth the wait. Thank you so much for reading my story.


	14. Chapter 14: First Time for Everything

Phew! Still alive! Quick thanks to everyone who has reviewed and is still out there! In the next chapter, which I am working on at the moment and will hopefully finish over Christmas, I will give my proper thanks and comments to each review *hears the sounds of crickets* ^^; As always, read and review. And please point out any mistakes, grammar or plot-wise in this chappie! For some reason, no matter how many times I read over a chapter before I post it, I never find the mistakes until after it goes up on the internet...

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Fourteen

* * *

A light breeze whisked Davina's hair playfully against her neck as she strolled down the street, seeing her school gates in the distance. Even with her earphones playing music, Davina could hear the bustle of the morning commute, the murmurs of rapid Japanese and the closer she approached her school, loud laughs of English.

Another brush of wind sent a wave of cherry blossom leaves over the grass, pavement and into the road. The rising sun sparkled in the morning drops of dew and the birds chirped brightly in the tree branches.

Early summer time was so beautiful in Tokyo, Davina thought as she smiled at the sky. All problems in life and the world were simply nonexistent, so much so that Davina couldn't imagine feeling down ever again and that all possible future qualms seemed meager and easily overcome. College applications were tiny inconveniences. The idea of preparing for her audition for S.A.B. thrilled Davina from head to toe.

As Davina crossed through her school gates, she saw the party crowd reclining against the stone gate. The girls were primed with too makeup yet their applied masks couldn't hide their lack of enthusiasm for being awake so early in the morning. One of the girls with light brown hair glanced at Davina, squinting with tired eyes.

Davina glimpsed at the group, but a second later, she peered away to school clock tower. School would begin shortly for both her and Shin.

She imagined him putting his arms through his school blazer, the one with the soft texture that Davina loved to wear. She looked up at the sky and thought he too was commuting to school under the same beautiful sky. With those thoughts in mind, Davina couldn't help but smile. The butterflies in her stomach made her restless so she hopped up the steps to the school entrance. She brisked down the hall for her first class, too energetic to be expected to sit in class all day long.

* * *

Though Shin had slept rather well the previous night, the inevitable bombardment from 3-D slowed his efforts to dress for school. Shin had lay in his bed as the sun light, even though effectively filtered by his curtains, traveled in subdue intensity across his bed as the morning wore on. He purposely timed his arrival to be about fifteen minutes late for homeroom.

Shin seriously considered staying in bed for the school day, but he eventually, yet reluctantly changed into his school uniform. The previous night hadn't been the last he saw of Davina, so he should be able to face them without being ostracized.

Yankumi's preaching voice reverberated up the backstairs as Shin slipped into the 3-D classroom. Good, Shin thought to himself. She already started homeroom activities. As if anticipating his arrival, his friends instantly twisted back and scooted their desks around Shin's when they heard the soft pattering of his shoes. Their faces were frozen with expecting, goofy smiles.

Kuma and Uchi were fluttering their eyelashes _sweetly_. Shin let out a soft groan. They'd been rehearsing this... Maybe he should have just stayed at home. Or he could just leave...

Right as he spun on his heel to climb the stairs, Yankumi's voice blared at him. "Ah, Sawada?" Yankumi stopped, chalk in hand, succeeding in turning everyone's attention to his corner of the classroom.

Minami and Noda stood to gently punch Shin's arm. "Come on, loverboy! Tell us how it was!"

There was an eruption of cheers and coaxing from every single person in the classroom. For guys who wore a notorious reputation for being rough and tough, all of them eagerly pulled their desks together to listen closely to Shin spill about his time with a girl. Regardless of being put on the spot, he licked his bottom lip in amusement.

"Did you listen to our advice?"

"Sawada's not dumb, he did _something. _Didn't ya?"

Staring at these boys' faces, Shin couldn't pretend to ignore their questions before he flinched as Yankumi rose up next to him. Spotting her previous position in front of the board and watching the woman standing just inches from his desk, Shin grumbled to himself imagining Yankumi slithering like a snake through the crowd. "How d'you get here?"

Yankumi turned to the windows, the sun glaring in her eyes wishfully. She held up a tight fist intensively then spun on her feet, her pigtails flaring around her. "What a wonderful time in a person's life? Young love..._koi_..." Yankumi smiled dreamily, not noticing Shin's glare. She leaned forward to his face, eyes wide and hopeful. "Did it go well?"

"I'm not saying anything." Shin muttered, causing all of the boys to roar in disappointment.

Yankumi however munched up her face proudly if she were about to cry. "Sawada is invoking the implied mutual privacy of the relationship. Sawada, you punk! You're a true gentleman."

All Shin could do was sigh in regret of deciding to go to school.

Yankumi then crossed her arms and in between of several desks, huddled the boys up together.

"Sawada isn't saying anything."

"So what?" Noda piped up.

"What should we assume?" Uchi scratched his chin and sat on an idle desk.

"We assume everything...?" Kuma stated, unsure if he was answering or questioning.

All the boys lifted their heads for a moment of thought then mumbled amongst themselves words of agreement.

"Works for me." Uchi uttered.

Unable to bear their rambling, Shin sat down and pressed forehead against his desk and wrapped his arms around his head to cushion and block out the light.

The boys forgot about Sawada being physically present in the room and continued to speculate on his night.

"Hmm, it's kind of like a soap opera, isn't it?"

"You're right. It reminds me of my favorite drama."

"Ohh, what do you think is going to happen for the season finale?"

The boys whooped excitedly and split into groups to share their theories for the ending of the drama.

"Has he realized that he does love her?"

"Has she really made her decision about which man she wants?"

"No way! She won't choose either of them. Too much baggage."

* * *

"Your parents walked in!" Jayla exclaimed inadvertently while Mira herself could only restrain herself from making noise by slapping her palms to her mouth.

"Don't make it sound _like that_. We weren't actually doing anything." Davina answered quietly, excited yet shy about sharing the details. "He was," Davina sighed, "just about to kiss me though."

Mira whistled lowly, while Jayla groaned dramatically as if in pain. "So close," Jayla said.

"Just like a freakin' soap opera." Mira chuckled to herself, making Jayla and Davina laugh. "That stuff is so cheesy you wouldn't think it actually happened in real life."

"True." Jayla concurred.

"If I know my soap operas, the universe won't let you kiss him until near the last episode." Mira said pointedly. "And, if it's a Japanese drama, then the two of you will lean in for a kiss, but the entire cast will run in and interrupt everything."

Davina rolled her eyes with a snicker. "Girls, it's not a soap opera. Well, the universe did allow Shin to kiss me on the cheek."

Both of her friends' brows lifted impressively. "Yep, definitely a soap opera." Mira giggled, then downed the last of her soda.

"I did tell him about moving around a lot growing up. In better detail." Davina continued, taking a hearty bite of her sandwich.

In spite of themselves, both Jayla and Mira nodded in approval. "How did he take being on _informal military terms_?" Jayla asked.

Davina considered for a moment. As Jayla put it, informal military terms was equivalent of the Japanese dropping of _san _in speech. Once an army brat cared to share such special information with someone, it usually meant that they were on a deeper, intimate level. "He didn't show it, but Shin was definitely overwhelmed. He seemed to understand though."

Both of the girls, with a slight nudge of the head, acknowledged Davina's statement and glanced away to daydream, knowing full well of Davina's experience.

"Just hope that he doesn't mistaken Indiana with India. That one didn't last too long. He was so cute, but dumb as a doornail." Mira cringed, baring her teeth. Jayla sympathetically patted her friend on the shoulder.

"Are these the same guys you keep telling us about, Mira? Or different ones...?" Davina scratched the back of her head, while Jayla shrugged.

"So, when do you see him again?" Jayla leaned on her arm.

Davina ran a quick hand through her hair. She hadn't yet spoken to Shin since the night before so of course they hadn't picked another day to be together. "No sure, it's only been a day since our date—

Mira clapped her hands loudly in satisfaction. "You're finally acknowledging that it was a date."

Jayla winked at her while Davina sighed, blushing and speechless. Was it really that big of a deal?

"No, really, Davina." Jayla said softly, coughing over bits of laughter. "We're both extremely happy for you."

Mira nodded, still smiling from her last outburst.

Davina eyed each of them, trusting the sincerity of her friends. "Thanks you guys." With that, Davina yawned. A wave of sleepiness came over her, but the adrenaline pumping in her blood was fueling her enough for the rest of the day.

Jayla and Mira began to passionately discuss a season finale of one of their favorite TV series. Davina spoke when necessary but her mind was happily stuck on the night before. Shin had eaten his entire plate of zitti and said "gochisousama deshita" to thank her. The spot where Shin had kissed her cheek felt as if there were a lip-print. So much so that for the rest of her classes, Davina would occasional touch her cheek and smile.

* * *

At ballet practice later that day, Madame had been particularly unforgiving. The woman's usually perfect hair bun was slightly frizzled and her lips were thinner than Davina had ever seen.

"You have not been practicing." She said harshly to three girls after she watched them leap twice then twirl and extend their legs. "The next group, go!"

Davina inhaled then as the third girl in the group she moved in sync as they performed the segment. Out of the corner of her eye, Davina could see Madame's watchful expression. After the group finished, they slide off to the side with the other girls to watch the last group.

"Summinsu-san?" Madame called.

All attentions in the room suddenly pressed heavily on Davina. The girls were frozen in their surprise as Madame usually never called someone out. Davina's breath stopped for a moment then she shook her head to recompose herself. "Yes, Madame?"

"Do that again." Madame instructed, without any emotional infliction.

Davina moved to the other side of the room and positioned herself by her view of the mirror. _1, 2, 3... _Davina counted..._7, 8. _She exhaled and performed the routine with the same level of skill as before. She was unable to tell from Madame's expression if she was dancing well or horridly.

Madame's finger tapped on her elbow as she counted.

Davina finished the routine with her arms and leg extended gracefully.

Madame nodded to herself and replayed the music. "Do it again, Suminsu-san. And everyone watch."

Davina bit her lip and repositioned herself at the other side of the hall by way of the mirror. She performed the routine a third time.

"See, girls." Madame uttered. "See how her arms are firmly balanced yet her fingers are soft and graceful. And watch the way she leaps and her leg extension. She doesn't have to force her leg to extend high in the air. Do your best, Suminsu-san."

Davina blushed so deeply that it matched the shade of her hair. She bowed her head in courtesy at her instructor and rejoined her group. Two of the girls, in particular, looked smugly at Davina. They had all seen the glowing smile she had worn throughout the entire class, but it was the two girls who had seen Shin when he walked her to the studio. They hadn't seen him since that night, yet they both knew why Davina couldn't stop smiling.

* * *

In the locker room, half of the girls frowned grimly from being scolded by Madame. Davina heard some slight angered murmurs of quitting, but she shrugged to herself. None of them were quitting, they were just upset, and she told herself. Davina brushed her hair, checking her mirror, blankly thinking of when her own feelings were hurt by a former dance instructor and how she angrily thought of quitting.

"Ne, Dabina-chan?"

"Hmm?" Davina turned to the two girls from her group and other girl, already dressed and ready to leave.

"We were just talking. Midori's boyfriend goes to Mamokin gakkouen, Ami's goes to Jinguji gakkouen. My last boyfriend went to Chuo." Said a girl who's surname was Yamada, but she was nick-named Erin.

Davina blinked and set her brush into her bag.

Midori looked to her friends and inhaled a breath, gathering the courage to ask. "So...we saw your boyfriend the other night."

Davina paused for a second while zipping her bag. "Oh, no it's nothing like that—" She struggled with her Japanese to explain.

"We were just wondering...we couldn't recognize his uniform. Ami guessed that is probably because he might go to a foreigner school like you." Erin continued.

"But Erin, I also said that he _looked _like native Japanese." Ami uttered shyly.

_Foreigner..._ Davina twitched slightly from agitation. She briefly shook her head in order to dismiss Erin's innocent comment. "Oh he goes to Shirokin." She uttered simply, carefully putting on her jacket.

In unison, the girls in front of the redhead drew in a deep breath of surprise. Their jaws dropped and their eyes widened. "SHIROKIN?"

Davina nearly fell back from the degree of their surprise. She could sense the attention of the other girls from the other side of the locker room.

Suddenly, Midori desperately grinned and giggled. "Oh! She's joking! Aren't you?"

Erin pointed at Davina, snickering from what she believed to be a joke.

Ami ducked her head from slight embarrassment.

Davina blinked awkwardly. "No, it's not a joke. He goes to Shirokin."

Erin and Midori quivered dramatically, hair standing on end like frightened cats. Ami continued to shy away behind Erin. "Not...a...joke?"

Davina wondered if she could bear their responses in order to confirm yet again. "Not a joke."

Both of them cringed again, but Midori puffed up her cheeks, set her wrists to her waist and reclaimed her composure. "Now, now, Ami, Erin, Davina is a newcomer to Japan. We must be nice to her and explain our concerns for her."

Erin nodded her head earnestly in agreement. "You're so right, Midori! Dabina-chan is our classmate and we must look out for her!"

"_Please stop pretending like I'm not standing next to you._" Davina murmured in annoyance with her French.

"Heh?" the two girls leaned in closer to hear Davina.

"What so wrong with Shirokin anyway?" Davina asked.

Ami rubbed her forehead to collect her thoughts. "How do you start in explaining Shirokin, Midori? It's a bit...rough and dodgy."

Midori sighed. "For starters, it's one of the lowest ranked schools in _all_ of Japan. Hoodlums attend that school, Dabina-chan. Hoodlums who couldn't find a better school or were kicked out of their former school. Whenever you hear about teenaged criminals or teenagers getting into fights in Tokyo, most of the time, they're from Shirokin."

Davina bit her lip as Ami nodded her head in agreement with her friend. "A nice girl like you deserves better than what Shirokin has to offer. Please take our words into consideration."

Midori, Erin, and Ami bowed slightly then left the locker room.

Davina watched as the girls left, just then realized that she was all alone in the room. She squeezed the handle of her bag, harshly chewing her lip. Part of her was at least glad that they felt the need to look out for her, the other part wished viciously that she had yelled at them to mind their own business. She blinked at her reflection in the mirror, her skin glowed warmly in the dim lighting. Still unsure of what to make of the moment, she loudly slammed her locker door then left.

* * *

In the darkness of her room, Davina's bed was partially lit her by the activation of her phone. Laying on her back, she had scrolled through her numbers and stopped on Shin's name. Her thumb was poised over the green 'send' button, but she never gathered the courage.

The screen darkened from lack of activity and with a sigh, Davina's arm rested at her side. She stared tiredly at the ceiling, angry with herself for letting the others comments get to her. True, they had been sincere, but they were flat out wrong. Regardless of how many news articles they had read about Shirokin students, such couldn't amount to the week she had spent with them. Maybe they were talking about staying away from boys like Tatsuya and his friends; Davina rolled her eyes.

She had already learned that lesson, thank you very much!

A generic tone called from her phone's speaker. A new message. Davina's attention peaked. It was from Shin.

_Will you be able to  
meet on Friday?_

Davina considered then groaned in disappointment. She had made plans with her parents. She sighed and fumbled over the keys on her phone, waiting for the hiragana to merge into kanji.

_I can't do Friday, but_

_Saturday evening I'm free  
if that's ok._

She sent the text and waited. A reply eventually came.

_See you then. At 8 at the  
exit of Demachi station_

Davina stared at the message for a while then lay back down. She smiled at the thought of seeing Shin, but she suddenly remembered the girls earlier and their ridiculous surprise. They just couldn't contain themselves when they heard of Shin's school.

At the end of the day, they were just girls from her ballet academy. She didn't need to explain Shin to them. It just hurt her that they would be so judgmental, not just of Shin, but of the entire school. Davina began to wonder, did Shin run into this sort of ignorance often? She remembered the boy who saved her in Roppongi and was saddened by the thought.

* * *

"Hey, did you get the message from Shin?"A 3-D boy nudged his friend, while leaning against the door of 3-D. He checked a message on his phone to confirm.

"Yeah, he said to return after the final bell."

"On a _Saturday?_"

"Why would he ask a stupid thing like that? Has he gone soft or something?" Another boy quipped.

"The hell was that?" Minami threatened the boy, yanking him up by the collar.

"YOU heard me!" The boy shouted in Minami's face as the boys held their fists back.

The other boys hooted and whooped from the commotion, but immediately halted when they all heard the jingle of keys.

All of them looked at the top of the stairs and there stood Shin. He glided down the steps and easily picked the correct key from the dozen for the door. The class entered the room and switched on the light. Uchi, Noda, Kuma, and Minami gathered near Shin even though they all stared into him, wondering why he had asked them to return. On a freakin' _Saturday afternoon, _nonetheless. Maybe if they were more sociable boys, with dates, they might be mad.

"How did you get those keys?" Noda asked as Shin pocketed the set.

"Borrowed them from Yankumi." Shin sat on a desk as he shrugged his hands into his pockets.

The boys nodded their heads knowingly with smirks; they all knew what borrowed meant.

"Imagine her face when she realizes that she lost them!" A boy laughed.

There was a sweep of laughter amongst the boys as they imagined the hilarious panic of their bi-spectacled teacher when she couldn't locate her keys.

"So, are we trashing the place?" A boy asked.

"No," Shin answered curtly. He stepped over to the chalkboard and explained why he brought them back after school hours.

The boys listened, and tilted their heads in slight confusion for a moment. Then they nodded their heads and each grabbed a piece of chalk. "We may not understand your method Shin, but we are men who understand duty and compassion!" The boys declared dramatically then ran to the chalkboard with the same vigor as they would a fight.

Uchi whooped. "You know, if I were as lucky as Shin, I wouldn't come back to back to _this _dump." This earned a fellow throat noise of agreement amongst the boys.

"But if this works for him, I just might try it too." Minami smirked and the others laughed as they each grabbed a piece of chalk and search for an empty spot on the board.

* * *

Though Davina technically had plenty of time to prepare after my Saturday morning ballet class, several hours quickly turned into few minutes. Davina realized that she had zero idea as to what they were doing. Eight in the evening might be too late for dinner. Maybe a film at the cinema? But why go all the way to Demachi?

The weather was a bit breezy and chilly, so she dressed in a long gray knit sweater with tights and a short leather jacket. Davina sat on a bench at the exit of the station and checked her watch to make sure that she was early. This was the only public exit of the station and there was NO way that Shin was going to sneak up on her this time.

Minutes slipped by and commuters exited, sometimes in groups, mostly in singles. However, all of them paid some mind to the red-head sitting pointedly by the station. Davina began to wonder if the Japanese stared at other Japanese people if they simply dyed their hair lighter colors. Maybe, she considered, they're just admiring the color of my hair, regardless if I'm a foreigner or not. She unconsciously ran a hand through her hair.

"Ready to go, Aka-chan?"

Though the voice was a smooth a silk, it startled Davina and made her jump off the bench to her feet. She then realized that Shin was standing to the right of her and the exit of the station was to her left. How did Shin manage to slip past her without her noticing? Again?

Then she realized he had called her 'red-child.' She blushed.

"You know, some people find it rude when people sneak up on them like that." Davina tucked a stray piece of hair to her forehead, her hand clasped tightly around the strap of her bag.

Shin slightly smiled then shrugged his shoulders. "Not my fault that you're absent-minded."

Davina laughed and rolled her eyes. "I should get you a nick-name, too. How does sneaky-chan sound to you?"

"I don't think it suits me."

Davina followed him away from the station. "You don't get to choose. I didn't get to choose 'red-child.'"

"I didn't choose 'red-child,' either. People were already calling you that." Shin's thumb graced by the edge of his lips to fight back a smile, knowing that such a revelation was going to annoy her.

Davina crossed her arms in a huff and her jaw dropped. "What? Really? Who was calling me that?"

"I can't say." Shin said quickly and Davina playfully smacked him in the arm.

Normally, Shin would have led her further down the road but instead, he made them turn through the tree pathway. Davina smiled to herself. Though they had usually used that particular path as the exit from Shirokin, she was glad to use it now.

She gazed up at the thick canopy of trees high above her. Though the urban scenery and roads were just behind them, it was a relief to be heading straight through the tiny park that seemed to have protected itself from urban excess.

Their walking pace seemed to slow down mutually as they strolled further down the path. She had never seen the path way so empty, yet appreciated the silence. Davina felt her hand being enclosed by Shin's and she slipped closer to him, accidentally, but gladly, catching his scent.

She blushed and even though it was dark, Davina glanced away so that Shin wouldn't see. "Doesn't anyone else use this path?"

"This way leads to the schools in the area. No need to use them on a Saturday." Shin answered.

Davina peered ahead and saw the gate of Shirokin. She focused on the kanji characters at the center of the plaque. He led her by hand through the back, to the back door of the building, towards 3-D.

"Why are we on school grounds on a Saturday?" Davina said jokingly.

"You'll know in a moment."

He pulled out a ring of keys, picked one and opened the door to the classroom.

Davina cocked a brow. How did he manage to get keys?

Davina had recognized the staircase, but Shin carefully led her down in the dark. He brought her to the center of the classroom then released her hand. She halted in her spot, concentrating on the sound of his footsteps as they proceeded towards the wall.

_Switch!_

The florescent lighting above flickered on and Davina's attention immediately jumped to the colorful writing on the chalkboard.

Before Shin could direct her to the board, Davina skipped to the board and trailed a finger over the characters. She mumbled the readings to herself. When she finished the first one, she fought back a smile then read another.

The center of her torso felt heavy with emotion.

She read another.

She gulped and set a hand on her chest.

_Thanks for helping us Aka-chan!_

_You didn't give up and we didn't give up!_

_Fujiyama is safe because of you and we thank you :)_

_English makes sort of sense now and I want to learn more!_

_This is the highest grade I have ever gotten on an exam!_

_Thank you Dabina-chan! If Shin ever bores you, call us and we'll set him straight! Noda, Kuma, Uchi, & Minami_

Shin spotted his friends' note and shook his head in jest. "I can't believe they wrote that." He murmured to himself.

Davina noticed Shin and quickly flicked away a tear from her eyes. "Why did they do this?"

"I asked them to. Figured they never did get a chance to thank you. Asked them to write what they wanted to say." Shin gazed at chalk riddled board.

Davina bit her lip then turned to Shin. She gently pulled him into an embrace. She pressed her head to his chest for a moment, enjoying the softness of his sweater. She briefly caught the slightly increased pace of his heart, then lifted her head. One of her palms closed lightly on the back of his neck and her fingers stroked his silky hair. Their eyes were locked for a second then her vision drifted to his lips. Finally, she gently tugged on his neck to bring his mouth to her lips for a kiss. Their lips touched and her eyes fluttered shut.

Shin's arms circled around her waist, suddenly reminded of the grace of the dancer and his old thoughts that she was too fragile for his hands. His fingers clasped on her waist and back then glided down the angles of her body. She was soft and remarkably strong in his arms.

Davina pulled away then softly smiled. "Thank you, Shin."

"Thank you for what?" Shin asked, his mouth a breath away from hers.

"Thank you for..." She turned her head to gaze at the empty desks of 3-D, remembering how they were clattered during the tutoring sessions. "Thank you for bringing me to 3-D. I enjoyed myself during the tutoring. I'm thankful for meeting each and every person. Yankumi doesn't know how lucky she is to have you all."

Shin thought she would kiss him again, yet Davina randomly pointed to the chalkboard. "By the way..." She turned his attention to a particular character and tilted her head. "Someone misspelled this."

Shin read the mistake and rolled his eyes. "It's not _that _wrong."

Davina grabbed a piece of chalk and added the needed dash to the side of the character. "See? That's correct?"

"That is correct."

"What? Are you saying that since I'm a foreigner that I can't point out the mistakes?"

"No, I'm saying that since you're absent-minded I'm surprised that you noticed it at all."

"Oph! Shin! I'm not that absent-minded. Let me have this one!"

"I thought we were done with the tutoring..."

* * *

You've been waiting for that haven't you ;) But of course, the story is far from over. I did work on another story for a few months, just to get those ideas out of my head. I haven't posted that story yet, and no I'm not cheating on you, CTD! I'm inspired to write again! And all of my **evil **essays are done for this term. If I didn't make you go 'aww' or giggle at the dorkiness of 3-D at least ONCE in this chapter then I did not do my job! Happy Holidays everyone! :)


	15. Chapter 15: Small World & Now We Wait

Two chapters in less than a week? Can it be done? Nay? Let it be done I say! How was it done? Was it luck? Divine intervention? I haven't updated in a while since before chapter 14 so let this long chapter appease you! ;)

Major and sincere thank yous are due to Whisper of Yesterday, Buru-beri-chan, diamond rose, FreakBlaze, theperson withthereally longname ( ff. net won't let me type it out in full?), ChakraSwirls, -black-.x.-rabbit-, Cheri, darkredcrystal, SubduedxRainexfall, and Raging Lulu. Thank you all for reviewing chapter 13! Your comments were read and 100% appreciated!

And thank you to those who reviewed chapter 14! Raging Lulu, -black-.x.-rabbit-, darkredcrystal, and jamjam53104, I appreciate your encouragement. You must hate me, darkredcrystal ;)

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Fifteen

* * *

Davina chewed on the eraser of her pencil as she worked on a math study guide for her course. Exams were starting the coming week and she hadn't done more than an ounce of studying, to be honest... Six exams, two and a half hours for each. Not too brutal but with all the talks of holidays, flight schedules, beach time, and summer clothing shopping, summer vacation was in the air! Davina's brain was like a car that was out of fuel; no matter how many times you push the pedal, the car wasn't going to go anywhere.

"I'm going to be a Senior this fall." Davina whispered to herself, triumphantly.

She had finished her Japanese study guide almost as fast as Jayla had. Her Japanese instructor had made a congratulatory note on one of her papers saying that she had been improving extra well lately.

"Those of you with Japanese boyfriends and girlfriends are probably picking this up quicker than anyone else." The main Japanese instructor of ASIJ had said randomly one day and Jayla had elbowed Davina. The redhead had blushed of course, earning a few snickers from a few of the other students.

"For the last time! It's not official!" Davina had scolded Jayla and Mira just above a whisper while the two girls shamelessly giggled to themselves at her expense. She had told them about the kiss and heaven forbid, would they ever let her live it down?

Of course, Davina thought as she spaced out on a math problem, there had been other kisses since... The first one had surprised her. It wasn't as wet as she imagined it would be. She admittedly had been a little nervous that the first kiss would be the worst one due to lack of practice, but it was very natural for her. It was quite easy to kiss Shin. Over and over again.

Davina had figured it would be nice, but she didn't expect to get so much pleasure from kissing someone she liked. The way he held her was just as pleasurable as the kiss itself.

Before they left 3-D to take her home, Shin had simply held her, his chin at her forehead; nothing needed to be said. Their abrupt return to reality involved repetitive phone ringing from Davina's parents, 90% from her father.

"I'd better be going." Davina had grudgingly said after the fifth consecutive missed call from him within two minutes.

"An emergency?" Shin had suggested and to that, Davina had munched up her face in reluctant consideration.

"I doubt it," Davina had told him. The last time there had been an emergency, a family emergency of her grandmother being sent to the hospital for a hip injury, Davina's father had merely called her _once_ and left her a voice message.

Well, perhaps dad is having an emergency, she had thought sarcastically. She had imagined that his personal emergency had to do with the boy whose arm was wrapped around her waist.

Davina plugged in the basic trig formula into her calculator and rolled her eyes when she recalled how her father had been adamant in his belief that she hadn't informed him of her plans for the evening. Though, her mother quipped from her respective corner of the living room that she did in fact bear witness to Davina telling them both of her whereabouts for that evening.

"Davina, from now on, you'll have to tell both me and your mother of where you'll be going and what you'll be doing while out on these _dates._" Davina's father had declared, nearly skipping over the word dates. His face then glowed red like a tomato as he stared down at his little girl who in his realization was a teenager going out on dates. The Sergeant had turned to his wife who seemed engrossed in her newspaper then fled the room, not bothering to dismiss himself.

Davina had sighed then turned to her mother. "Maman?"

"I'll speak to him." Esmée hadn't even glanced up from her paper, pushing her lips tightly together in order to suppress her laughter.

Davina quickly scribbled a solution to the math problem and began structuring the next one. Come to think of it, Davina pondered, did Maman ever speak to dad? Though Davina's dad was demanding that she keep him informed about the nature of her dates, she wouldn't dare tell him that his incessant calling had ruined a perfectly good kiss.

And Davina was going to keep the fact that they occasional held hands a secret as well.

A gentle knock at her door caused Davina to peer up from her paper.

Her mother strolled into the bedroom. She caught sight of Davina's study materials then sat down next to her on the bed. "Exams are next week, studying hard?"

"Yes," Davina sighed, rubbing the gray shading on the back of her writing hand.

"Junior year is very important on your college applications, so study hard." Her mother announced and Davina's lips thinned.

"Have you spoken with dad yet?" The daughter asked.

Esmée snorted in laughter. "Yes I did and you know how he is." She added a rolling of her eyes. "He's just worried you'll get your feelings hurt." And that he'll get _his_ feelings hurt! Well that's some extreme rephrasing, she thought. That's not exactly what he said, but she was sure that was why he was acting so ridiculously. In order to protect his only daughter.

"Just give him some time and let him get used to the idea of you dating. Don't rub it in his face."

Davina set her pencil down to fully focus on her mother. "It's not because of Shin that dad's acting this way, right?"

Esmée nearly gulped but didn't in front of her daughter. She shrugged casually to lighten the mood then placed a stray piece of hair to her ear. "Well, your father is acting this way with Shin because Shin is _boy_. I think that he would act this way with any boy. You also have to remember, Davina, that this is a first time for us as well. Our only daughter just started dating, so your father is struggling to keep his cool."

Esmée suddenly laughed. "I remember, when you were just a baby, he always said that he wasn't going to let you date until you were thirty."

Davina smiled at that, very much imagining her father's voice uttering such rules. "So, is dad going to be okay...with me...and Shin?"

Esmée nodded her head earnestly. "Don't worry about your father. He's just hurt that he let you out thirteen years earlier than expected." She winked.

"I'm gonna be eighteen soon." Davina mused.

The mother chuckled, "you know that means nothing to him, Davina."

Both of them laughed and the mother pulled her daughter into a hug. "Don't worry, but just know that if there is anything, _anything, _that you wish to speak with me, don't ever hesitate."

Davina glanced away her cheeks puffing up due to bits of embarrassment, figuring the nature of her mother's meaning of 'anything.' "Sure, Maman," she promised simply.

Esmée allowed her daughter to return to her studies. After she shut the door, she inhaled a torso-sized breath of relief then went to her room. Her husband was frowning at a newspaper in his chair when she walked in. "Did you speak with her?" He asked abruptly, suddenly forgetting about the topic of the article he had been translating.

She sighed dramatically. "Yes I did, and I told all of the things you should be telling her yourself!"

"Oh, good, so you told her that she won't be allowed to date until she is in college?" The Sergeant scribbled a quick translation in his newspaper despite sensing the squinting glare from his wife and having no real interest in the article.

"You know, I don't see why you have a problem with Shin anyway." Esmée smirked with satisfaction as her husband almost tore his newspaper while trying to shut it, his aggravation flaring from the use of the boy's name. "He seems like a nice, respectful boy."

"You gathered this in the ten minutes that you met him?" The Sergeant tossed his wrinkled newspaper aside.

Esmée groaned and retorted. "You're negatively judging him by the same ten minute impression."

"He is a boy, Esmée, they only want one thing." He declared seriously.

Esmée laughed enthusiastically at the Sergeant's claim. "Don't be such a caveman! Don't you think that our daughter has a better head than _that _on her shoulders?"

"It's not our daughter's intelligence that I'm worried about, it's that boy."

"_Shin._" Esmée added for injury, expecting his body to cringe at the name. Even from the distance, she could see the fiery angry glimmering in his eyes. Oh it all she had within herself to not burst out laughing!

"Agh, it would have been much easier if Davina had been born a boy instead." The Sergeant groaned.

Esmée rolled her eyes. "Why's that?"

"It's much easier worrying about one boy than every boy in the entire world!" The Sergeant explained, earning another loud laugh from his wife.

"You're acting like _such _a drama queen! Raising a daughter isn't that bad."

"You're lucky I didn't kill myself when I found out that I was going to have a daughter." The Sergeant grumbled to himself.

Esmée sighed again loudly, nearly deciding she had heard enough, but remembered that she had another question. "By the way, are you _really _set on having these rules with our daughter?"

The Sergeant glanced up. "Is it really too much that a father knows the mobile and house number of the boy that wants to date his daughter?"

"No, I was referring to the clauses that stated she would need to check in you every fifteen minutes, give you the precise location of each date, give you a complete list of telephone numbers including but not limited to his parents, their work places, his five closest friends, _their _work places? Just to name a few."

"I believe that those rules are set within reason."

The wife snickered. "No wonder our daughter has hooked herself a bad one."

The Sergeant expression darkened. "What was what?"

Esmée slyly strolled over to her husband's chair and sat on the rest. "I was just thinking that the only way to make a rebellious boy even more attractive in a girl's eyes is to be more restrictive with her."

The Sergeant's brows shook. "Are you saying that Davina is dating him because I won't approve?"

Esmée smiled at her husband's futile fussy. "No, but it is thrilling to a girl. I used to be a teenage girl too; I know what it's like."

"But you found yourself a wonderful government job and then married a Sergeant for the U.S. Armed Forces. I doubt your parents were worried that you were rebelling."

"Ken! If you don't recall, I came from a family of artists. To them, the only thing worse I could have done, at the time, was become a cop! My father was throwing the same kind of fit that you're doing right now!"

"I'm _not _throwing a fit, Esmée. I'm just worried about our daughter." Ken uttered calmly, glancing away from his wife so that he wouldn't have to see her attempting to restrain her mocking smile. "By the way, your family likes me _now, _don't they?"

The only response he received were unsuppressed giggles.

"Anyway, so you're saying that if I wanted this to stop with Davina, I'd have to pretend to approve?"

"That's not what I was saying at all. If this boy really is a bad as you think, I'm sure Davina will see his true colors and leave it at that. If not then he probably really is a nice boy." Esmée said reassuringly. "That or," She began to add, "Davina finds someone else..."

The Sergeant's mouth slid open, then he was at his feet. "You're right Esmée."

"What are you talking about?" Esmée spat.

"Davina needs to find someone else." Ken planned aloud with himself, speaking to the mirror.

"You weren't listening..." Esmée desperately rubbed her head, sensing a headache coming on.

"I can veer her towards someone with good values and morals."

"How do you know Shin doesn't already have those?"

"What? It was your idea."

"Ken! It was not my idea!"

The Sergeant turned away, mumbling aloud to himself about his grand plan.

"Ken! So help me! You bring this plan of yours, what ever it is, to a halt!"

"Esmée...I'm just trying to—"

"Respect our daughter's wishes! Please! I know you mean well, but you're going about it in the wrong way."

Ken took his wife's hand. "Esmée, don't worry, I will not interfere with our daughter's feelings with this...boy."

"_Shin_." Esmée corrected him again, unamused.

With that, the Sergeant grinned, gave his wife a quick kiss on the forehead and left the room. Esmée rubbed her eyes after watching her husband shut the door behind him. Her husband was officially on a tangent and there was no stopping him. He was like a runaway train, hopefully he would run out of steam soon or crash into a wall.

Esmée shook her head with a tired chortle then opened a bedside drawer. She removed a leather-bound phone book. Sure, she had muscle-memorized most of the numbers for her family in France, but she liked having the book in her lap while she spoke with them. If she ever needed to take down a new number, it was there.

Though it had only been a week since her last phone call to Europe, Esmée expected long and winded conversations, so she curled up comfortably on her bed. _When are you coming to visit us? _She rolled her eyes, seeing her reflection in a mirror from across the room, already imagining the same string of questions that she was always asked. She still didn't have an answer to that question.

* * *

Sergeant Summons had laced on his running shoes then jogged to the designated track that circled around the Hardy Barracks. Only a few of the younger men are also jogging and Sergeant Summons smirked to himself when he repeatedly surpassed them.

Though his energy was still high after his second mile, he gazed at the sky and thought it looked too orange for him to continue running for the sake of his health.

"Sergeant Summons!"

The Sergeant peered back and saw a young man jogging with extreme effort. He straightened his posture as he reached the older man and forced a clear smile despite his exhaustion.

"Samuel Williams, nice to see you again." Ken greeted sincerely.

Sam stopped his jogging, bending forward again and exhaling deeply in order to catch his breath. The teenager was red in the face with exertion and the back of his gray t-shirt and hair were each several shades darker, soaking with sweat.

"Keep walking, you're supposed to slowly bring down your heart rate." Summons explained, power walking with the young man.

"Yes, sir." Sam continued to breathe heavily, barely managing to utter his words.

The two men paced forward on the reddish path, Summons brisking a bit faster than what Sam had preferred while resting.

"How's school, Sam?"

"Going well, sir. They gauged my progress and they're allowing me to take exams, sir." Sam said, his face twitching from the burn in his leg muscles.

"Planning on going back to the states for the summer?"

"No, sir, I would like to explore Tokyo and Japan, sir."

Sergeant Summons nodded his head in understanding. "My daughter and I are probably going to Nagoya sometime in the summer."

"Davina Summons, sir?" Sam asked for confirmation.

"Yes, I believe you have met my daughter before. You two go to the same school."

Sam smiled at the fronts of his shoes. "Yes, sir, I have met your daughter. I asked her recently if she could accompany me for a tourist outing in Tokyo, but I have not yet received a response. She seemed a bit rushed when I asked her so she might not have even heard my question."

The Sergeant cocked an eyebrow in interest. He glanced away to the end of the track in consideration then twisted back to the boy who had finally seemed to have caught his breath. "What were you intentions for this outing with my daughter?"

The teenaged boy slightly choked and the color in his cheeks deepened in red. Sam could see from the corner of his vision the Sergeant was watching him like a hawk. He instantly regretted mentioning his failed plans with Davina. "I-I...do not understand the question, sir."

"Which part?" The Sergeant asked curtly.

Sam wiped the sweat from his forehead on his arm. Somehow, he believed that the new round of sweat wasn't from power walking. "Rephrase, please, sir."

Ken knew he was being little harsh on him, but if the boy had any dignity than he would answer his questions truthfully. "Were you intentions with my daughter purely on the stance of gaining friendship or were you seeking something else?" The Sergeant asked bluntly.

Sam licked his suddenly dry lips before looking to the Sergeant to give his reply. "Friendship, sir. I have yet to establish a solid group of friends in this country and Miss Summons seemed like an interesting person when I met her."

When Ken's brows furrowed, Sam gulped then asked, "if I have permission to be honest sir..."

The Sergeant interest was tweaked once again, and he gave a slight nod for Sam to continue.

Sam gulped again to soothe is dry throat. "If things were to develop in a relationship further than friendship, I would not complain. She is...a beautiful girl, sir. I would only pursue a romantic relationship with the permission of both of her parents."

Sam hadn't realized how frantic he had actually been until Sergeant Summons gave a reassuring pat on the back. The boy had slightly jumped, unsure of why, certain that the Sergeant wasn't going to do something drastic, like hit him...

"I appreciate your honesty, Samuel." Sergeant Summons uttered with thin lips, lacking emotion. He then spun around and headed for the pedestrian's pathway to reenter the main building. "Oh, and I'll see to it that she gives you a response."

Sam's mouth slid open in awe after the Sergeant turned away. He stood perfectly still, with his arms hanging limply at his sides, dumbfounded. Did the Sergeant just give him permission to date his daughter?

* * *

Davina crossed her arms with boredom. Only twelve more practice problems to go before she had allowed herself to practice dance. She could then practice for a whole hour than return to work on her physics study guide.

She clicked her nails impatiently on her desk, wishing the problems would solve themselves. I need a manicure...she thought to herself, spotting the chipped corners of her nails.

A knock on her door caused Davina to spin in her chair. Her father, with a towel wrapped around his neck, walked into her room with an airy smile.

Davina bit her lip, expecting him to speak with her what she had early spoken with her mother. "Hey, dad."

"How's the studying?" He asked casually, peeking behind him to decide if he should sit down, but figured it would be best not to since he was sweaty.

"It's fine, just can't wait for exams to be done." Davina answered simply and dully.

Her father nodded his head, remembering his own high school days... "How's the dancing?"

Ken noticed a significant chance in his daughter's demeanor as she smiled brightly. "Amazing, Madame complimented me the other day."

"That's great," the Sergeant said sincerely. His vision slipped to his running shoes and Davina bit her lip again.

The silence before the storm, Davina thought grimly. Wait for it...wait for it...

"Davina, are you friends with Samuel Williams?" The Sergeant asked uneasily and Davina's eyes widened marginally.

Hmm, that came from far left field... "Um, yeah, he seems nice. Have only spoken to him a few times...why you ask?"

The Sergeant sighed, still bowing his head. Well, at least she agrees that they are acquaintances. "Well, since his family are new to this city, I would appreciate if you could show him around. Maybe to the places where you and your friends hang out so he can get a feel for it."

Davina softly swayed in her chair, trying to form an answer. Something, she couldn't put her finger on it, was really fishy. Her father could hardly bear to look her in the eye no matter how hard she tried to meet his eyes. She had been unsure if she was being asked to show Sam around or him and his family? "Um, sure? I don't think it would be too much of a problem. I can show him around."

The Sergeant simpered at his daughter, finally viewing her perplexed expression and suddenly needed to flee the room. "Great, I'm sure you can ask him at school. I should go take a shower now, just got back from a run."

Davina glanced at his running shoes and sweat towel. "Sure, see you later dad."

The Sergeant forced another simper then left his daughter's room. When the door shut behind him, he exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "For goodness sake, man." He muttered to himself. He was a Sergeant. A man who wasn't supposed to take crap from anyone and yet he was dead frightened of his wife and his teenaged daughter.

He shook his head to dismiss the thought. No, he decided, he was just getting a little soft was all.

* * *

Jayla, Mira, and Davina groaned in unison at the thought of exams that were due to begin later that day. "At least we only have one today and tomorrow will be a half day."

"Last full day of the year, girlies! Got anything to special to say?" Jayla mimicked a newscaster then balled her hand into a fist as a pretend microphone.

"Good riddance?" Davina grumbled bitterly when Jayla held her hand-mic to her.

The dark-skinned girl glared at them. "You two are no fun. Show some enthusiasm!" Jayla exclaimed brightly, in a manner that randomly reminded Davina of Yamaguchi-sensei.

"Woo, enthusiasm." Mira added blankly, brushing her hands through her long brown hair.

Jayla straightened her posture pointedly and gave her friends a proud smile. "I for one, am e_xtremely_ excited. It's the last day of Junior year—"

"Good riddance to that we say!" Mira held up her fist, trying to grab Davina's hand to join hers. Davina laughed and limply held up her fist to tease Jayla. "Everyone knows that Junior year is the _worst._"

Jayla pouted at them both and set both wrists to her hips. "I was gonna say, we'll be Seniors by this time next week."

"I'll raise my glass to that," Davina said, toasting her almost-empty glass of juice. The other girls raised their glasses, staring as their cups met with a _click. _

Davina took a sip, silently digesting the fact that high school was soon drawing to a close. Mira and Jayla smiled with hints of sadness and silence fell over the lunch table.

Mira was the first to break the ice again. "So what are you plans for the half day tomorrow?"

"Since we finish at one, I want to beat the weekend rush and head over to the shops. You two want to join?" Jayla asked.

Mira nodded in approval but Davina shook her head. "I'm gonna visit Shin's class tomorrow."

Jayla and Mira leaned in with interest. "Really? But are you sure you can? They don't have early dismissal..." Mira asked.

Davina winked as if she were hiding a secret. "Don't worry. It's not that kind of class." She giggled, causing Mira and Jayla to look to the other to see if she could provide an explanation. Jayla shrugged, as did Mira.

* * *

"Murosaki-san! Are you absent today or what?" Madame scolded Ami who stood at the barre staring mindlessly into space.

The girl glanced around herself, saw Madame's sour glare then bowed her head profusely. "Sumimasen, sumimasen, sumimasen."

Madame tapped her elbow impatiently. "I'm sorry too, because now everyone will have to stay an extra half hour in order to catch up because of the interruptions."

The other girls in the class turned back to Ami and squinted their eyes angrily at her.

"Saminsu-san, Yamada-san, we have you two to blame for this as well. As a group, you have to look out for each other. If one of you isn't improving well than the entire group suffers."

Davina and Erin bowed their heads. "Sumimasen."

"Pardon, Ami-chan, she just broke up with her boyfriend." Erin nudged Davina.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Ami." Davina consoled but Ami shook her head, her short hair waving at her cheeks.

"Don't be Dabina-chan. I actually...need to to tell you—"

"_Again, _from the top, 1, 2, 3, 4!" Madame's voice blared in the tiny room, causing both girls to automatically lose their train of thought and practice their exercises.

* * *

Back in the locker room, Davina rushed putting away all of her things, bummed about losing a half hour's worth of time. She didn't notice Ami Murosaki rushing as well, regularly checking to not lose Davina.

Davina finally zipped her bag, slammed her locker shut and brisked outside through the ballet exit. Ami quickly threw the rest of her belongings without care into her duffel and followed Davina.

"Ami-chan! Wait!" Erin called after her friend, partially undressed from her leotard.

"Dabina-chan!" Ami cried after the redheaded figure strolling ahead of her in the short, but barren alley.

Davina heard her name and slowly turned back to see Ami jogging after her.

The girl bowed from the waist and sniffled as if she were holding back tears. "Gomenasai gozaimasu!"

Davina who had been focused on her phone, blinked at the bowing girl. "What are you talking about Ami? Sorry for what?"

Ami slowly straightened and tucked her short hair behind her ears. "Please forgive me, Dabina-chan! I know that you are dating a boy from Shirokin." She bit her lip to bite back the tears.

Davina shook her head, "Ami, you're not making any sense—"

"Please, excuse my rudeness, Dabina-chan, but please let me finish." Ami gulped down the cries in her throat and calmed down her tone. "I know I said that people who go to Shirokin are hoodlums and criminals."

Well, technically it was Midori who said that, Davina thought to herself, but didn't bother to correct Ami.

"I know I said those things, but..." Ami swallowed and shut her eyes briefly to compose herself. "Today, my _ex-_boyfriend and I were attacked by his classmates."

Davina gasped and pushed a palm to her mouth to keep quiet.

"The worst part, Dabina-chan, was that my ex-boyfriend the other day had seen a Shirokin student and called him 'trash.' However, my ex-boyfriend who attends an elite school, did not even have the good sense to protect me when his classmates turned on me. He _left _me there to get hurt."

Davina bit her lip against her palm, unable to gather words to say in consolation. If she had known... Davina and the rest of her classmates had zero idea as to what Ami had dealt with earlier that day. She would have been more considerate...

"But you know what, a Shirokin student appeared, the same one my ex called 'trash.' He risked himself to protect me without any regard for himself."

Davina squeezed her lips between her fingers and her vision peered to the cement in disbelief. All of this happened today? During that stupid exam?

"That is why I must apologize to you, Dabina-chan. Erin and Midori and I meant you no harm, but that still doesn't retract the harm from our words." Ami bowed once more. "Gomenasai gozaimasu!"

"Ami-chan..." Davina whispered.

Ami slowly straightened and stared back at her classmate with streaks of tears on her cheeks.

"What was his name? The student?" Davina asked.

A smile cracked Ami's guilty expression. "Kumai-kun."

"Eh?" Davina gasped with disbelief and for a second, the sounds from the rushing cars and pedestrian chatter disappeared for a whole second. "Kumai..._Kuma_?" She immediately remembered the large boy from 3-D with blond hair and a hearty appetite.

Ami's head tilted then her eyes widened as her jaw dropped like Davina's. "How do you know his name?"

Davina rubbed her forehead with frustration. "Oh, what a stupidly small world we live in?"

"Heh? _Wakarimasen._" I don't understand. Ami said as her face munched up with confusion.

Davina was about to utter something when Ami's attention flickered away to something in the distance. Davina turned around and faced Shin. She respired with relief. "Oh, Shin."

Ami's pulse jumped when she recognized the face and uniform of the young man who stood before her with Davina. "Eh, what a small world we live in?" She mumbled to herself, matter of a fact, crossing her arms.

Shin's face twitched when he too recognized the girl. "Murosaki-san?" He muttered.

"Ehn," Ami nudged her head to confirm. She glanced down and saw the boy's hand reach for Davina's subtly. She immediately understood the nature of his arrival and formed an excuse for a quick getaway. "I'll see you next lesson, Dabina-chan. Please take my words into consideration. Onegaishimasu!" She bowed once more and skipped away from the ballet exit and onto the urban street.

Davina scratched her head as she panned her neck from Shin to Ami. She rolled her eyes at the sky and squeezed Shin's hand. "Please tell me what's going on...?"

She peered up at Shin's poker face, but then he cupped her chin. Despite Davina's dire need to be informed of the day's circumstances, all urgency slipped away as Shin stroked the line of her jaw to her lips.

Her lips parted and Shin pulled her by her waist to his and kissed her. Shin's lips were soft against hers and Davina's hands were threaded in his hair. She smelled his scent and felt herself fall deeper into his embrace.

Sniggers echoed from the creaky stairs by the ballet exit. Davina sharply, but sadly, pulled away and saw a group of her classmates, huddled together, looking on with goofy smiles. "Ne, it's lovely isn't it?"

When they spotted Davina staring at them, one of them winked at her. "Dabina-chan, I'll spot you for a love motel if you two need it?"

Davina's replied with a fake bitter expression, struggling to repress her own embarrassed chuckles.

Shin glanced back, and feebly sighed.

Davina rolled her eyes with a laugh at them and by his hand, pulled Shin away towards the urban road. Shin's poker face returned but Davina was blushing to the roots of her hair. She hadn't wanted the kiss to end, but admittedly, it was difficult to find a place where she could kiss Shin all she wanted.

When they reached the urban road that led to Shinjuku station, Davina slowed her pace and finally gathered to courage to face Shin. Even while his expression was mostly blank, she burst into giggles. "Well, at least now you can tell me about what happened today."

"What if the kiss was intended to make you forget about that?" Shin teased dully.

Davina playfully ripped her hand out of Shin's and rolled her eyes in dramatic annoyance. "You can be so _mean_, you know. Has no one ever _scolded_ you that you shouldn't kiss a girl just to shut her up?"

Davina hadn't seen it, she had been far too busy huffing at Shin, but Shin smirked discreetly to himself. He allowed her to pace a few steps ahead for a couple streets, but when she finally uncrossed her arms, he reached for her hand. He gently squeezed her palm in his, then as if to proclaim that he had been forgiven, Davina slowed her pace to let him walk with her.

Frequently, passersby would dropped their train of thought to stare for a moment at the redhead. They would then notice how the boy next to her was very lax in his way of walking, casual and almost slouching with a hand tucked into his pocket. The girl with him though was standing tall, graceful and into total control of her movement. The two were conjoined by their holding of hands, but every so often, one would occasionally glance at the other and softly smile.

The passersby would notice the couple for their differences, but after a moment of staring, the two suddenly appeared to be too similar for attention. The passersby would then slip back into their reality, instantly forgetting about the couple and the reasons why they had stared at them in the first place.

* * *

Yankumi scratched her head while scribbling a math equation on the chalkboard. Something didn't factor out correctly for some reason... She licked her lips and unpleasantly twitched. Ouch, she thought. The corner of her bottom lip was still tender and partially swollen from the Jinguji student's punch.

She glanced over her shoulder at her students. Their desks were shoved to the back and judging by their empty stares, Yankumi doubted they were dreaming about math as much as they were about _Shizuka-chan's _outfit, which was a little low-cut that day.

The boys already had had their science, English, and history lessons for the day and the rest of the afternoon was Yankumi's for math. Yankumi tilted her head at a particular empty desk in the back of the room.

The teacher sighed. She remembered Sawada being present earlier in the day. Goes to show, she thought, that the best student in her class was the most absent.

The back door latch opened and the sounds of two pairs of steps pattered at the stairs. Yankumi twisted back and saw Sawada and a redhead—"Dabina-chan!" Yankumi squealed with excitement.

The rest of 3-D's, though noisily busy with their own non-education related matters, attention were snapped to the back and they stared pleasantly at the girl.

Davina grinned at Yamaguchi-sensei then quickly gazed over the classroom as they roared with greetings. She happily set down her heavy dance bag, carrying her dance articles and school books.

"_Sashiburi, _Dabina-chan!" Long time no see!

"It's only been about a week." Davina considered but waved the thought away. She sat on Shin's desk as he slid into his chair.

"I can get you a chair." Shin uttered softly, but Davina shook her head.

"Don't worry about me," Davina replied then casually glanced to the right and nearly jumped when she saw Yamaguchi-sensei standing inches away from her. "How did you get here...?" Davina mumbled to herself while Shin fought back a smile.

"Sa, Dabina-chan, shouldn't you be in school at the moment?" Yankumi checked her wrist watch to confirm that it was still in the frame of normal school hours.

"Normally, yes, but today we had early dismissal due to exams." Davina answered and earned jealous groans from the surrounding students.

"No fair." Yagyu murmured weakly, balancing his chin on his arm against his desk.

Uchi stretched in his chair. "If I were done with school, I wouldn't come back to this dump."

"I hope you don't mind me visiting, Yamaguchi-sensei." Davina said unsure, but sweetly.

Yankumi sheepishly swayed with joy from being properly called 'Yamaguchi-sensei.' "I suppose it's not a problem. Ne, do you have any more exams?"

"Japanese language next Monday." Davina swung her legs off the side of the desk.

Yankumi nodded her head impressively. "Ah, well," She gave Shin a playful punch in the arm. "I hope Sawada is helping you with Japanese speech, like you helped us."

"Somehow I doubt that there is much speaking between them." Noda sniggered to Kuma, Uchi, and Minami.

Both Davina and Yankumi leaned in with confused expressions. "Heh?"

"What do you mean not a lot of speaking?" Yankumi said aloud to herself, earning annoyed scoffs from the boys.

"You really have no experience, do you?" Uchi scolded Yankumi.

Davina's mouth made the shape of an 'o,' as if she realized the meaning of the conversation. Immediately she ducked her head to allow her hair to curtain around her face to hid her blushing and to avoid Yamaguchi's innocently perplexed expression.

Ooishi sat up and held up his English text book. "Oi, Dabina-chan, could you come and help me with Fujiyama's English homework?"

"Fujiyama didn't assign any." Shin said curtly.

The boys on the other end of the classroom growled, shouting statements in disarray. "Maybe Shizuka didn't assign _you_ any!"

"How would he know anyway, he was asleep for the entire lesson!"

There was a raucous shouting of agreement.

Yankumi grinned at Shin. "Sawada, you must be worried about Dabina-chan as her friend."

"_Uruso._" Shut up. Shin grumbled, causing Yankumi to twist away.

Minami wagged his finger at his classmates. "Flirting with a classmate's girlfriend will result in getting beaten up, huh, Kuma?"

Kuma puffed his cheeks fully and nodded his head. "Shin gets very pissed off when it comes to such things."

Shin shot them both a squinted look. _How would you two know?_

The boys around Davina broke apart into groups as if cued begin their own discussions, effectively ending any focus they previously had on mathematics. Davina's vision fell to her shoes then she peered up to her left, at Shin.

Yankumi spun around in her spot, judging if the math lesson was entirely ruined, when she saw Davina smile at Shin.

She froze in her spot despite the loud mouths next to her and felt her heart race with mirth as she saw Shin reluctantly smile then glance away as if slightly hesitant to hold his expression.

Yankumi swayed dreamily in her spot. Hopefully Sawada will learn to show his happiness instead of hiding it, she thought then turned to a noise at the door.

The doorknob fiddled until it was unlocked. Two men, attempting to be authoritative, scrambled into the classroom, but their bravado instantly failed when they mentally sized up the class roster. Davina recognized the man with the tacky gray suit and beehive hair style. A smaller, balder man followed the Headteacher, no less afraid of 3-D.

The Headteacher saw the jersey clad woman in the middle of the desks and his large eyes reddened with anger. "Yamaguchi-sensei! Don't you have any authority in this room? I was lecturing to a group for recruitment, then I could hear the shouting from this room from the other side of the building!"

Yankumi bared her teeth in a cringe and slipped effortless over to Headteacher to pacify him. The two men glared viciously at Yamaguchi-sensei then to each and every single 3-D student. When Headteacher's vision fell upon the back of the room, he silently nudged his colleague. "Washio-sensei, there."

Davina sensed the weight of two curious sets of eyes fall on her. With an exasperated sigh, Davina hopped off the desk. The moment her feet touched the floor, Shin stood up as well and motioned for Davina to stand behind him as Headteacher and Washio-sensei stomped over.

Yankumi ran over to try and get between Sawada and Headteacher. "Headteacher, please pardon, but we have a guest student with us today!" She fibbed.

"Guest student?" Headteacher hissed, glowering at the pigtailed teacher. "Sensei you know the rules state no guests are allowed, period."

"But! Headteacher, our classroom took the initiative and is doing the Reciprocation program!"

"Reciprocation program?" Headteacher and Washio-sensei mumbled to themselves while all the students mouthed the words silently.

Yankumi stared frantically to the poker-faced Sawada who wanted to shake his head at the teacher. She's lying through her teeth...

"Um, yes, Reciprocation program, it's when one student teaches a specialty subject at one school and the other school teaches a subject in reciprocation!" Yankumi slithered between the countering groups. "Yes, our friend here...tutored English for us and now...since she has a Japanese exam, we-we're teaching her Japanese!" She stammered apprehensively, finishing with a shrill laugh.

Davina peeked around Shin's arm at the awkward teacher. She could only understand half of what Yamaguchi-sensei was yapping about, but judging by the stone hard expressions of the two men, they weren't easily fooled.

Washio-sensei and Headteacher circled around Yankumi. "Yamaguchi-sensei...are you lying to us?"

Yankumi's cheeks swelled with air as she struggled to gather her words, trying to be a honest as possible. "Well, see for yourselves how capable she is!"

The men exchanged expressions of disbelief then turned back to Shin and Davina. "What are you capable of?"

Davina licked her lips and answered for herself. "English and French."

Headteacher bared his large teeth and bent back with a fake laugh. Washio-sensei simpered as well to follow suit. "How nice it is for Sawada and 3-D to have such a capable friend?"

Kuma slammed his desk from repressed agitation. "What the hell was that?" He shouted at the two men, who quivered in spite of their intentions.

Shin's friends and the rest of 3-D erupted in shouts and desk slamming. Davina drew in a startled breath and Shin's arm gestured for her to step even further back.

Davina paced back and watched in horror as 3-D surrounded the two men and challenged them to a shouting match. "YAMAGUCHI-SENSEI! Control your students or else I'll expel you all!"

Yankumi pushed against the boys holding them back. "Stop! _Yamero!_"

A circle formed around the two men between the rest of 3-D who were held back by Yankumi. Headteacher fixed a hair curl and while huffing angrily, adjusted his suit jacket. The man glared back to Sawada and the redheaded girl.

He noticed her jacket and saw the ASIJ stitching on the breast pocket. ASIJ? He pondered. That's a foreigner school, he recalled. A really _good_ ranked one at that. Hmm... Headteacher panned his vision from the girl to Sawada. His brows furrowed in confusion at the picture.

The Reciprocation project—whatever Yamaguchi-sensei called it—seemed bogus, yet, to Headteacher, it was suspicious that 3-D would know a girl from an elite school. He randomly glanced down and saw the manner that Sawada had positioned himself in front of the girl. Whenever Headteacher advanced in steps, Sawada's arm extended as if to protect her.

Headteacher's temple twitched. If this reciprocation project was in fact real then he had to show the best side of Shirokin, which meant kicking 3-D entirely out of the picture. Suddenly, he devilishly smiled as a light bulb went off in his head. His hands locked behind his back and he casually turned to Yamaguchi-sensei.

"Yamaguchi-sensei. I appreciate you hosting our guest student for the time thus far." He said brightly and remarkably cheerily to Yankumi.

Yankumi's chin lifted as she listened, unsure if she could sigh in relief yet or not.

"Sensei," Headteacher continued. "For the rest of her time here, I think it would be good in our guest student was able to interact with the _best _and _brightest_ of Shirokin's third year."

Yankumi's head ducked again as her pupils shrank in surprise. "_D-d-demo! _But!" She stuttered, trying to stop the situation before 3-D riled up again.

Proudly, Headteacher strolled confidently with Washio-sensei through the classroom to the door, ignoring the nasty glares from the students. When he turned again, the girl was still behind Sawada. "Eh, is she coming or what?"

Davina blinked frantically. She had understood his statement. But why was she leaving?

"You can't make Dabina-chan go with you guys!" Uchi shouted, standing on his desk.

"She's _our _tutor!" Noda exclaimed.

"If you think you have the guts to take her away, try it and see what happens!" Minami held up a fist in the air, causing other students to flex their fists for show.

"Wait." Davina muttered softly yet somehow all of the occupants of 3-D heard her and stopped their antics. Shin slowly looked over his shoulder and saw Davina reluctantly sigh. "I'll go."

She heard the scrapping of moving desks and soft murmurs of protest.

"You don't have to." Shin mumbled under his breath slowly turning to face her.

Davina forced a steady smile. "It's not worth it." Was all she could possibly express in Japanese. She'd rather leave 3-D then have them get into trouble for her. It hadn't been their idea for her to visit and she felt horrible enough for making Yamaguchi-sensei lie to the two men. She stepped forward, close to Shin to whisper something to him discreetly. Her hand lightly and quickly touched his arm and she said, "it'll be okay."

She avoided meeting Shin's eyes and everyone else's as she slipped by them. She rubbed her elbows as if she were cold as she approached the Headteacher. The man stared her down, but Davina lifted her chin and set a stony, bold expression to her face. She wanted to look back at Shin but didn't for the sake of appearing strong.

Washio-sensei opened the door and allowed Headteacher to exit first. Davina followed the beehive-haired man in stride then Washio-sensei shut the door swiftly behind him.

Shin's hands balled into fists as his classmates all peered over to him as if they had expected him of all people to do something. Shin recalled her words to him, "it'll be okay." He randomly saw Yankumi who leaned against the chalkboard with a worn and sullen expression. As if cued, Yankumi crossed visions with Shin and both seemed to mentally exchange their consideration.

_Now we wait._

* * *

Hadn't intended for this chapter to be this long, but I don't think anyone will complain too much since I'm such a horrible updater. Good news is that instead of converting the upcoming situation—oh yes there will be—into two chapters, one will suffice beautifully. That's all coming next! I'm going on vacation in eighteen hours and will sit in an airport for at least sixteen hours from now until I return to England. Perhaps I will work on that other chapter? Maybe? ;) See you then! And again, happy holidays!


	16. Chapter 16: Loyal Davina

Yet another essay submitted, which means I am free for the next ten or so days. I wrote bits of this at the airport and periodically during my essay-writing time. Randomly during this month, I was inspired to write a chapter that won't be posted until...I'm gonna say _at least_ eight chapters from now. It's not the final chapter, but a critical one, indeed. Oops, I wrote another long chapter, but I swear the only person who ever makes note of that is me. It's a good thing if no one else minds.

Also, I'm delighted to say that during my vacation, I've added two more subplots to this story that will be coming up after this subplot. I'm working on [another] story guide that will go through the rest of the drama, through the rest of the school year, the drama special and so on. The main plot is taken care of, but if anyone has any suggestions for a subplot, I'd be glad to hear them. Doesn't have to involve Davina, but can be centered around a 3-D student, Yankumi, or anyone else. Can you believe that the drama only spanned about three months in the school year? So much potential until the special...but I digress.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be an expert in Japanese even though sometimes I may wrote a line or two out in Japanese. When I am writing dialogue for the Japanese characters, in my head they speak Japanese. So sometimes I feel the need to add Japanese tidbits because I may feel that particular phrase was best expressed in Japanese.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Sixteen

* * *

Davina wrapped her arms around herself for the sake of drawing herself in as tightly as possibly. The moment the door slammed shut behind them, the two men scoffed to themselves and chattered away triumphantly as if Davina wasn't listening.

"You're a genius, Headteacher." Washio-sensei patted Headteacher reassuringly on the shoulder.

The beehive-haired man beamed shamelessly. "If 3-D believes that the rules don't apply to them, they have another thing coming. _Complete expulsion!_" He jeered.

Davina glanced back at the 3-D door panel, dreadfully wishing she hadn't left.

Headteacher locked his hands behind his back as he strolled. "English and French? Fluent?"

Davina met expressions with the man after a second, almost missing the question. "Yes, both."

Headteacher cocked an eyebrow and Davina was unsure if he were impressed or doubtful. He whispered over Washio-sensei's ear. "Who's that kid who wrote on his list of skills that he spoke French?"

"_Wasureta. _I don't remember... I think he was in 3-B!" The shorter man scratched his chin.

Headteacher straightened suddenly, his hair swaying despite the strong gel. He led the way to 3-B, which was placed far down the corridor with long windows parallel to the door panel. Davina glanced about and casually looked upon the garden that was revealed through the windows.

Never knew that was here, she thought plainly.

Washio-sensei went inside 3-B to fetch the boy in question, leaving Headteacher and Davina alone in the hallway. She leaned back against the wall while Headteacher ducked his head to the ground then randomly chewed his thumbnail.

Immediately Davina observed that the man was awkward or at least incapable of knowing how to compose himself in irregular situations. He seemed unable to comfortably situate himself as if unsure of how he could make himself appear to her. She wasn't a student of Shirokin or of a local Japanese school and perhaps that was the reason.

Headteacher occasional glanced at the girl in order to read her body language. Was she nervous? Or intimidated? As she leaned and tucked a loose lock of hair to her ears, he wondered if she thought of the moment as casual.

Tsk. He grimaced. She's been hanging out with 3-D for too long. "I hope by exposing you to the best and brightest of this school that you will not hold a _bad _experience of Shirokin, like you might have gotten from Yamaguchi-sensei's hoodlums."

Davina slowly raised her head at the taller man in disbelief, translating piece by piece, but unable to mentally veer past his use of 'hoodlums.'

Headteacher interpreted her blank face as her not understanding. He briefly sighed with a simper. "Hopefully that _gomi, _trash didn't have too much of an effect on you and your opinion of this school."

Davina's mouth slid open, ready to utter something, anything, that would rip the satisfied expression from the man's face. Her hands clenched into fists. "_Gomi_?" She gulped as she repeated the key word. Her knuckles cracked behind her as she shuddered from memory of Tatsuya. _"There's no reason a lovely girl like yourself should be with garbage like that, 3-D or Sawada."_

A sneer crept across Headteacher's lips as he still believed that she hadn't understood. "I suppose it is a good thing that you don't understand. If 3-D was in charge of your Japanese instruction, I'm not surprised that you don't understand."

Her nails dug painfully into her palms. Her blank expression crumbled from disgust. She turned to counter his words, but his attention went back to the door and the moment was gone.

The 3-B door opened and out came Washio-sensei and a student staring timidly at his shoes. The student was at first staring at his shoes but when he noticed the redhead his eyes widened incredulously.

Davina relaxed slightly, grateful for the presence of a person her age.

"Go ahead, Ryono-kun." Washio-sensei waved the boy forward.

The boy's pupils shrank and his complexion seemed to pale.

Davina proceed seamlessly. "_Hello, how are you doing?_"

The student shrugged his hands into his pockets and made a stricken noise in his throat. His pupils grew small from nervousness but the two teachers and Davina waited for a few seconds to see if the boy would ever respond.

"Eh?" Davina blinked at Headteacher, tucking a piece of hair away from her brow.

Headteacher forcibly laughed and patted Washio-sensei on the shoulder as if to cue him to join in as well. Headteacher coughed into a fist then insisted Ryono-kun to speak French. "Go ahead, _show us the __skills that you wrote on your application!_" Headteacher allowed the later half the statement to break off into a strained plea.

Of flipping course, Headteacher grumbled mentally to himself. The boy didn't speak of lick of French but the only thing that mattered was appeasing the guest student.

"_Where did you study?_" Davina attempted again, unconsciously gesturing her hands. Could the boy just be shy? Or just an idiot?

The boy glanced up at the ceiling in consideration, mumbling Davina's words to himself. "Ah, ehn." He casually nodded as if he were answering her question.

Neither Headteacher nor Washio-sensei understood French, but the latter was vaguely realizing that the boy was unskilled as both of their visions drifted back and forth between the teenagers.

Davina tilted her head suspiciously. "Eh, _kotaenasai..._please answer the question."

Headteacher and Washio-sensei mutely backed away with surprise from her Japanese usage. "I thought you said she doesn't know Japanese?" Washio-sensei murmured to Headteacher.

Headteacher forced a strained smile then pulled the shoulder of the 3-B student into a corner to scold him. "Idiot! I thought you said that you spoke French?"

"I _do _speak French._.._" The kid fibbed nervously, peeking over the teacher at an unamused Davina. "I don't know what kind of language that _she _is speaking!"

Davina pressed her back against the wall again and rolled her eyes after hearing the boy's quiet but desperate explanation to Headteacher. How pathetic?

Headteacher's lips thinned and his cheeks sunk in from anger. Steam could have very well been fuming from his ears yet he bit his tongue to restrain himself from shouting at the boy or anyone else for that matter. Not in front of the foreign student. Not now.

"Go back to class." Headteacher glowered at Ryono-kun who sheepishly fled back to room 3-B with his hair floating over his eyes. Sawatari-sensei inhaled deeply and gazed down the hall towards Davina's direction. She stared at the knob of 3-B's door after Ryono-kun shut it behind him.

A smirk tugged at her lips but she tipped her head and pretended to be fascinated by the tiles. Feeling the sharpness of Headteacher's glare, as amusing as it would have been to yank his chain, it wasn't worth further angering him to show her smirk.

Headteacher fixed the collar of his jacket confidently. "Washio-sensei. Plan B. Who got the best English midterm score?"

The shorter and plumper man scratched his chin in thought. "Hmm, I believe it was 3-D's Sawada, Shin."

Davina's attention was perked by the whisper, judging by how she abruptly lifted her head to stare at Washio-sensei. Both of the men noticed her peak in interest and bitterly stepped away from the girl to gain more privacy. Somehow, they both thought, the girl must have been more capable in Japanese than what they bargained for. Regretting her mistake, Davina turned her neck to face down the hall, away from the two teachers, knowing already that it was too late to pretend she hadn't cared.

Headteacher's lips thinned until they were mere pink lines on his mouth when he remembered how the punk had tried to conceal her from them. "There is _no _possible way that I'm fishing out Sawada. That would be a slap in the face, especially after Ryono-kun's ridiculous failure. Who received the next highest score?"

Washio-sensei's palm graced over the balding spot on his crown and he hummed in thought. "Sensei...if I had the files, I could say who for certain—"

"It doesn't have to be the exact one—" Headteacher groaned impatiently then paused for a moment and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "There was a tie for second place...if I remember."

Washio-sensei nodded in affirmation with Headteacher. "I remember now. It was between a 3-A student and a 3-C student. Which one should we get?"

Headteacher withheld another groan in his throat fueled by the mental replay of Ryono's stupidity. "Get both of them. Hopefully one of them will at _least _be able to introduce themselves in English. Regardless of what happens, we are _not _retrieving Sawada or anyone else from 3-D."

Washio-sensei nodded again then muttered discreetly. "I'll go to 3-C."

Davina's eyes followed the man as he strode down the hall, his reflection casting alongside the view of the garden. She could only replay hushed murmurs in her head of what she had heard from their whispers.

Headteacher gestured for Davina to join him and ventured further up the hall, towards a classroom dubbed 3-A.

Headteacher casually set his hands behind his back as he strolled to 3-A's door. He avoided her gaze and slipped into the classroom, not bothering to acknowledge her or order her to stay put.

Alone in the hallway, Davina heaved a huge sigh, her exhale audible from the acoustics of the thin hall. Randomly she searched down the direction she had came and couldn't help but think of Shin and how he protectively held her back from Headteacher. _"You don't have to."_

3-D was so close that she could imagine the room sitting at the bottom end of the staircase that was visible from her position. Though physically close, circumstantially, the room could have been located on the other side of Tokyo. In comparison to the other classrooms, which were on the ground floor, 3-D was tucked away, as if to be hidden from outsiders.

Davina realized then that it was the first time that she had been separated from Shin while present in Shirokin. She had been several times but never without Shin's reliable presence. Even if he were outside waiting for her or sleeping on the other side of the classroom, Shin was always there.

Again, though Shin was physically near, his presence wasn't there. Her torso felt hollow yet painfully heavy as she longed to glide down the staircase back to 3-D.

Abruptly, Davina shook her head to dismiss her sad train of thought and straightened her posture. Stop whining, Davina, she scolded ruefully. When did you get so clingy?

She massaged her shaky sore fingers. Her knuckles throbbed stubbornly, causing Davina to mentally kick herself for getting so upset. Watch the temper, she soothed.

You can handle herself just fine, without Shin.

Glancing up to the ceiling to focus on something other than her aching hands, she remembered the silence and the loneliness and her chest was tight again. Her bravado ebbed away and she found herself absently staring towards the staircase towards 3-D.

Regardless of her portrayed strength, she still missed Shin.

She turned to the twisting knob of 3-A's door and Headteacher pushed the door wide to allow himself and a student to enter the hall.

Headteacher proudly raised his chin; he had tested the student's English ability before allowing him to exit the classroom. Davina titled slightly, trying to see the student's face.

Finally, the student brushed the hair from his face. He gazed at Davina from head to toe and sneered.

Unconsciously, Davina's hands tightened into fists again, her thumbs crushing her fingers harshly into her palms.

Oblivious to Davina's discomfort and the student's leering, Headteacher thought to introduce them. He scratched his cheek, trying to recall the girl's name. "What do they call you?" He asked eventually.

Davina bit her lip. "Miss Summons." She grunted.

To that, the student snickered softly, yet deviously, instinctively quivering Davina's spine.

Headteacher gestured out a welcoming arm. "Suminsu-san. Meet Inoue, Haruki."

Inoue smoothed his black blazer then held out his hand to shake. "_Yoroshiku._"

Davina reluctantly loosened her right hand and gingerly shook his hand, simpering. "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu."

Headteacher had noticed their lack of 'hajimemashite', as part of the custom of being introduced for the first time, but blamed 3-D for her informal introduction. Oh well, she'll learn soon.

Davina noticed Inoue staring at her legs then jerked her hand from his and stepped away until her back pressed the window. The boy was unperturbed by her withdrawal, instead rather amused as he slightly bared his teeth. He shrugged his hands into his blazer pockets, in an almost Shin-like manner. Davina felt sick in the pit of her stomach.

She rubbed her elbows against herself but kept her posture as straight as possible. Keep it together. She glanced over to Headteacher. As long as he doesn't leave you alone with Inoue, it'll be fine.

"Ah, Washio-sensei." Headteacher announced, causing Davina to turn her attention to the other side of the hall.

Inoue looked first and instantly recognized the student. His sneer widened from thrill then he looked over to Davina to read her surely upset reaction.

At first her jaw dropped, but she covered such by pressing her fingertips against her lips. The student and Davina met eyes and he gulped.

Out of _everyone _in the entire school...you have got to be kidding me.

The boy patted his short hair when he set his sight on Davina. Then suddenly embarrassed, he squinted at the tiles on the floor and swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Suminsu-san," Headteacher began, still oblivious to the tension in the hall. "Let me introduce you to Tsuchida, Tatsuya."

Tatsuya twitched at his name but the damage was already done. Davina's brows furrowed and she crossed her arms tightly and defensively. Tatsuya lifted his vision to met Davina's green eyes but her stony expression was too overwhelming for him to handle. Memory of Davina's smile while tutoring the delinquents of 3-D flashed in his mind and the fact that she was nearly glaring at _him, _made Tatsuya wish he could simply spin around and leave Shirokin.

His feet remained glued to the floor; he didn't have the gall to run from the hall like he did when he fled 3-D during the last tutoring session. No matter how harsh the tension was between him and Davina, he could not forget the towering presence of Washio-sensei and Headteacher. Though Haruki added to their student numbers, Tatsuya still hadn't forgiven him for intruding on his date with Davina.

The silence following Headteacher's introduction didn't not go unnoticed, yet the two older men could not see the thick awkwardness that hung in the air. "_Well? _Tsuchida-kun?" Headteacher scorned the boy for his impoliteness.

Tatsuya flinched from Headteacher's tone then bowed from the waist for Davina. For Headteacher's sake, Davina gave a mere nod. Headteacher nudged over to Washio-sensei with lifted brows. This girl won't even properly bow. Does she think that she is better than our students?

Inoue caught the incredulous facial exchange between Headteacher and Washio-sensei and normally he would have sniggered but contained his amusement to just a smirk. When he walked into nutter-Oyama's science class that afternoon, he had not expected such entertainment would arise from Headteacher striding in during this lesson.

What now? Davina thought smugly to herself. Were they just going to test their English on her and then send her on her way?

"Suminsu-san, Yamaguchi-sensei mentioned that you tutored 3-D in English for their midterm. Is that correct?" Headteacher inquired, the low timbre voice echoed in the hall.

Davina nodded her head. "Yes, it's true."

Washio-sensei and Headteacher tilted and cracked their necks, remembering their severe disappointment when each and every 3-D student received over thirty points.

Why wasn't the girl visibly grateful to be away from 3-D then? Another thing, Headteacher considered, why would she come back to 3-D after the end of midterms? The man at first thought his eyes had deceived him when he saw the girl's hand grace softly along Sawada's arm as if in consolation. She had whispered something to Sawada and it was impossible to judge from his ever present poker face if he accepted her words—whatever they were.

Whatever she had said must have pacified 3-D as their rowdiness instantly halted when her soft voice uttered. That perplexed Headteacher. Yamaguchi-sensei and every other teacher for that matter would blare their voices before even earning a reaction from 3-D but the girl won their cooperation with a murmur.

The beehive-haired man stared down at the redhead who's arms were crossed. She must have been Sawada's as he perceived from how Sawada had tried to protect her. Headteacher glared at the floor tiles, dismissing such thoughts. Though he found her to be rube, if the girl could really speak two languages, she must have been intelligent. And why an intelligent girl would want to associate herself with a boy of pure evil was far beyond than what Headteacher could fathom.

Perhaps Sawada used trickery. Sighing softly, visibly satisfied with that particular explanation, Headteacher lifted his head again to pan between Tsuchida and Suminsu.

"_Headteacher,_" Washio-sensei leaned in. "What should be done now?"

Headteacher blinked, quickly glanced to the three teenagers as each of them were now staring at him. "Perhaps it would be redundant to make this guest student teach English to those who already earned high marks on their midterm. Yamaguchi said that Suminsu has a Japanese exam coming up so it would be better if the Shirokin students with the _best_ instruction of English could help explain Japanese to her."

Davina chewed her lip, bitterly recalling how Washio-sensei declared Shin as the highest mark but Headteacher had scoffed at the suggestion.

Washio-sensei's chin lifted in approval. "This way," he gestured forward to the three teenagers.

* * *

Davina followed behind Washio-sensei and Headteacher and never glimpsed behind at Tatsuya or Haruki even though she could practically feel their intense stares poking in her back.

Headteacher often glanced over his shoulder, peeved by how Davina tightly crossed her arms and refused to acknowledge or interact with the other two students. He recalled his earlier thoughts and then fully believed that the teenaged girl thought herself as better than the students that were presented to her.

_Goodbye garden, _Davina glanced over to the glass panels, but abruptly turned away again when she accidentally saw Tatsuya's and Haruki's reflections strolling with hers.

She deeply sighed to calm the jitters in her hands. Slightly fretful, she picked at the buttons of her school sweater and moderated her walking speed to balance her distance between the teachers and the students.

Davina, Tatsuya, and Haruki circled around the corridor with the two teachers. They approached a staircase and quickly climbed the steps. The two boys subtly glimpsed around and figured by the #2 doors, that they were in the second year hallway.

Tatsuya randomly glanced over to Haruki who slouched as he walked. His friend unexpectedly met his glance and gave a slight nod with a smirk. Tatsuya followed Haruki's vision, which rested on the redhead brisking in front of them.

Tatsuya controlled his facial expression in order to hide his agitation from Haruki. Akira and Kazu had been the bearers of Tatsuya's wrath since his failure of a date with Davina, but Haruki had merely gotten a scolding. Akira and Kazu in the very least possessed the ability to express regret and guilt for their actions, but Haruki's indifferent outlook was impenetrable.

"If she is 3-D's loyal lapdog then why are you so upset?" Haruki had merely responded when Tatsuya had shouted at him. "At least now she can continue to hang out with losers and she won't be wasting your time."

Tatsuya bit his tongue as he watched Haruki smirk at Davina, knowing how his eyes drifted to her skirt and legs. Tatsuya hadn't been able to get the information into Haruki's thick skull that he actually _liked _Davina and now it was impossible to know what could have happened between them.

He began to think of the rumors that were spreading around... Tatsuya had done his best to be deaf to all of it, but 3-D had been so_ proud_ of their friend. It was almost disgusting to watch.

Finally, Headteacher and Washio-sensei halted in front of a name-less classroom. Headteacher entered first and switched on a light. Washio-sensei held the door open for Davina.

The classroom was tiny and mostly bare. There was a clean regular chalkboard, a single row of lockers and no more than fifteen desks. Davina lightly pressed her hand along a desk and frowned when she felt the dust on her fingertips. She mentally compared the empty, clean classroom to the bright colored graffiti and magazine photo-riddled classroom that was 3-D. Though the sun shined through the high windows near the ceiling, the room was lifeless compared to the vivacious atmosphere that lingered in 3-D.

Davina stood near Headteacher and Washio-sensei near the chalkboard, spotting Haruki and Tatsuya swaying by the desks from the corner of her vision.

Washio-sensei's secure smile faded once he realized that he still had zero inkling as to what Headteacher planned. "_Ano..._Headteacher?"

Headteacher turned away to the chalkboard and picked up two pieces of chalk. He grinned and gave one to Davina then strolled over to Haruki and handed him the other. Davina turned on her heel to watch as Washio-sensei followed Headteacher.

Headteacher hovered over Haruki's ear and spoke. "Gauge her Japanese skills and fix whatever issues she might have." He stretched out his wrist and checked his watch. "An hour or so should do it. Understood?"

Haruki and Tatsuya bowed their heads. Headteacher and Washio-sensei walked over to the door frame. "Go ahead, start the lesson." Headteacher waved as if to cue them to proceed forward.

"Lesson?" Davina murmured to herself. When she panned over to Haruki and Tatsuya, she immediately understood. She couldn't even gather the words in Japanese as Washio-sensei and Headteacher left the classroom.

Alone with these guys?

Haruki sneered when the door lock secured in the frame. He glanced behind at Tatsuya who appeared to be nauseated then approached the chalkboard and Davina. "Jyugou hajimeruyo." Let's start the lesson.

Davina squeezed her piece of chalk tightly in her fist, forcing her expression to remain as pensive as possible.

"Since there is no way for me to know what you know, I'll start you from the beginning. Write out the hiragana chart."

Davina chewed the inside of her cheek. What she did look like to him? A preschooler? "I _know _hiragana." She muttered.

"Are you normally this rude to your teachers?" Haruki snapped brashly. "If a challenge is what you want, write both hiragana _and _katakana."

Davina fought back a disdainful groan and blinked at Haruki. As she slowly turned to position herself in front of the chalkboard, her eyes met with Tatsuya's. Though a brief exchange, Tatsuya needed to gulp from how her green eyes bore into his.

There was something else he saw in her eyes, other than her undeniable agitation with Haruki: _stay __away. _It was a threat, intimidation, reserved solely for him and perhaps that was the most painful pill to swallow. It hadn't been that long since she used to smile at Tatsuya.

A...I...U...E...O...

KA...KI...KU...KE...KO...

Tatsuya sat on top of a desk inches from the door for the sake of keeping a safe distance from both Haruki and Davina. Though their expressions were _normal_, Davina's was blank and Haruki's was leering, the tension between them was building like fire that would soon grow out of control.

"A, i, u, e, o-hayo. Ka, ki, ku, ke, ko-nnichiwa!" Haruki sang and snickered to himself, slouching effortlessly against a student desk. Tatsuya saw him sneak a quick glance over to him and noticed how Davina paused conspicuously from Haruki's song.

Eventually, Davina continued on, and Tatsuya imagined her glaring daggers into the chalkboard.

Davina shut her eyes momentarily and solidified her composure. Hold it together, Summons. Yamaguchi lied just so you wouldn't get into trouble. 3-D almost started a fight against those two men so they wouldn't take you away. _"You don't have to." _Shin had said and he would have protected her, but at his expense.

Davina imagined Tatsuya and Haruki standing behind her then reopened her eyes. You can handle Tatsuya and Haruki if it means protecting Yankumi, 3-D, and Shin. She inhaled a deep, pacifying breath then started a new row of hiragana.

SA...SHI...SU...SE...SO...

* * *

Back in 3-D, Yankumi carried on with her lesson to the best of her ability, which was surprisingly meager given her normal vigor. In 3-D's tense atmosphere, even she was having trouble focusing on the trigonometric functions as she taught them. The normal chatter of 3-D had diminished and Yankumi found herself wishing for the return of 3-D's deafening mirth.

"Is waiting all we can do?"

Yankumi heard a muffled whisper from the left side of the classroom then a grunt in response.

Regardless of the lack of noise, she thought as she sighed after writing a trig function, she doubted that any of them were actually listening.

Not that she blamed them.

In Davina's short time with 3-D, she had earned a certain familiarity with the boys. She knew all of their names by heart, something even some of the third-year faculty had not mastered. Yankumi remembered the first day Davina arrived and sometimes the girl either lifted her chin proudly or ducked her head from shyness. Over time, Yankumi perceived that nervousness wither away. Davina still hung closely with Sawada, but Yankumi realized that had been for _other_ reasons. Perhaps it was due to Davina being their age, but 3-D as a whole liked Davina and treated her as something special meant only for 3-D. She had become a friend, something so precious that Yankumi hoped that Davina understood.

3-D still playfully flirted with her, but only to tease her and never to betray Sawada. Yankumi remembered how Sawada countered their advances, _"Fujiyama didn't assign any homework" _or _"if you had questions about English, you should have called _me._" _He was always calm and simple, without any traceable jealously, yet protective.

Yankumi twisted around and smiled, hoping it would lift the spirits of her students. Her smile nearly cracked when she read the somber expressions across her students' faces. "Anyone...have the answer?"

Her students turned their heads away as if to avoid being called on. Every so often, a student would subtly peer over his shoulder to the back of the room. Yankumi rested her attention on Sawada's desk and heard Uchiyama respire heavily.

"_Tsumanaiyo._" It's not worth it. He grumbled, stretching in his chair.

Kuma dazed solemnly at the onigiri in his palm, his appetite subdued and he couldn't be bothered to unwrapped the rice ball. "Is there anything we can do?"

"I hate waiting." Hazama mumbled while twirling a curl in his hair.

Yankumi gazed at Shin finally. He merely propped himself up by his elbow against his desk, absently turned away at the window to distract himself from the random concerned glances from his classmates.

"_Sah..._" Takeda slumped himself impatiently in his seat. Over a dozen set of eyes fell upon him and he was pressured to finish his thought. "Do you think she'll slip up and let Headteacher know that it was all a lie?" He groused sharply.

There was a soft clutter of moving squeaky chairs and desks. Each student absorbed Takeda's words and soon were either nodding their head in consideration or visibly perturbed.

"Would we all get into trouble?" Hattori muttered, stroking his beard continuing Takeda's train of thought.

Noda's expression darkened as he growled, "what makes _you _think that she would do that?"

Takeda stiffened his posture from Noda's direct use of 'you'. "I'm not saying that she would have snitched on purpose. Either way, she's not even a student here, what does she have to lose? What if she thinks she can say whatever she wants?"

"TAKEDA!" Uchi shouted, effectively cutting him off, as he jumped from his seat. "You have no idea what you're blabbing about!"

"He's just worried." Shimazu's voice rose then trailed off. "He doesn't know what Headteacher is thinking...and no one knows how Dabina-chan will act in such a situation."

"What the hell are you saying?" Kuma bellowed, slamming a clenched fist on his desk.

"I don't know her! What if she worries about getting a bad rep? I didn't ask her to come here. And I don't know why she came here in the first place!"

"You've never cared before!" Yagyu's normally quiet voice strained from the uncharacteristic shout.

"You know Headteacher!" Ooishi added. "You know _exactly_ what he is going to say! I can picture it now!" He spread his hands up as though he were reading a sign and mimicked Headteacher's demoralizing tone. "He'll say: can't a nice girl find better friends? Why waste your time with trash like that?"

The tension between the students flared for a moment, but then dwindled as each student silently pondered Davina's potential reaction to Headteacher's inevitable preaching.

Yankumi watched the shouting match with sorrow. "You guys...believe that Dabina-chan is going to change her mind...just like that?"

"Even if Headteacher doesn't say anything, someone else will! Then what will she say? You're right? The tutoring is done and I'm done with them!" Ooishi exclaimed.

"And then all of the time you have spent together will slip away? You really think it's that easy? I thought you were her friends." Yankumi shifted her position uncomfortably, the weight of the truth quenched in her gut.

"We _are._" Minami answered on behalf of everyone, to which no one protested. "Is she ours, though? Will she remain our friend if she ever has to defend us?" He stretched his feet to slouch.

"She has defended you already." Declared a monotone voice behind Minami.

The attention suddenly gravitated to the back of the room, to Shin. "Huh?" All of his classmates hummed their confusion in unison.

"Shin..." Kuma murmured with unease, hugging the back of his chair as he twisted around.

"What do you mean?" Noda inquired.

Shin drew in a breath and leaned over his desk to face everyone. "A few people have already said the things you've mentioned, it upset her."

"Heh? Why wouldn't she tell us?" Uchi slumped back his chair, whooping in disbelief.

"If she really is our friend, why wouldn't she say anything?" Shimazu retorted.

Shin's droopy eyelids lifted and his poker face intensified. "She thought it would have upset 3-D, just like how everyone is upset now. End of story."

The boys slowly shifted in their seats, their eyes darting to the floor in order for Shin's words to sink in.

A few seconds droned on as the whole of 3-D was enveloped in silence.

"_Ano, _is that why 3-C said what they said?" Yagyu uttered, earning nods of agreement from surrounding students.

Yankumi's pigtails bounced as she turned her neck to curiously read all of her student's faces. "Huh? What happened?"

The boys made throaty noises of acknowledgment. There was no way that Yankumi would have heard the rumors as a teacher.

"Tsuchida of 3-C asked Dabina-chan out on a date. 3-C claims that he found her uptight and asked to never see her again." Matsudaira brushed his red hair, unable to fully handle Yankumi's puzzled gaze.

Noda, Kuma, Minami, and Uchi twitched noisily at their desks.

"They're a complete joke! We met Dabina-chan later that night, and 3-C's story is 100% false!" Noda circled his arm to gesture who had been present.

"What _did_ happen that night?" Yankumi pressed forward.

Noda and the others silenced and indicated their lack of real knowledge as to what happened from Davina's side.

Shin clearly remembered Davina's agitation and emotional sensitivity that night. She had apologized as if she had been the one who said such words. "Tsuchida, Nakamura, Miyake, and Inoue all told her to cut ties with 3-D."

At this, 3-D nudged their heads to listen, their expressions tightening.

"Tsuchida and Davina were originally alone, but then his friends came. They said that 3-D wouldn't save Fujiyama-sensei from being fired. She just left, without saying a word." Shin answered particularly to Yankumi, but all of 3-D noted the story carefully.

Kuma, Minami, Uchi, and Noda connected the pieces of the night. For the first time they realized how paramount Davina's phone call to Shin from Shibuya had been. They had been honestly relieved that their friend had won over Tsuchida. They all had individually figured that Tsuchida had tried or said something nasty. They never imagined that the nature of Davina's conflict with Tsuchida dealt with them. The fact that Davina left Tsuchida meant that she hadn't agreed with him or his friends.

It was something that everyone in 3-D soberly understood and regret burned their torsos.

"Inoue? That bastard!" Takeda spat, baring his teeth.

"He's so shady! But he gets good grades so the faculty don't bat an eye at him." Hattori groaned in disgust despite Yankumi's presence.

Yankumi blinked pointedly and delved into her memory. Inoue, Haruki. A boy in 3-A who was in the top ten highest ranked students of Shirokin. Whenever in her math class, he never raised his hand, yet whenever called upon by Yankumi, he always had the correct answer. She tried to locate any moments in her memory that would have suggested that Inoue was shady but drew a blank.

She then thought of Tsuchida... "But, he tutored 3-D himself, why would he say such things?"

No one answered her question as they deeply wondered why the kid would exert so much effort when he didn't believe in 3-D himself. They all simultaneously thought of their signature redhead.

"I can't stand them! Inoue or Tsuchida! Both of them were so proud of themselves after the English midterm." Shimazu barked.

"What are you talking about?" Minami asked.

Ooishi nodded to confirm Shimazu's story. "When Fujiyama posted the midterm grades on the school board. Their grades were below Shin's, but Inoue laughed when he saw 3-D's marks. Tsuchida merely squinted at us when he noticed us walking by."

"Their grades were beaten by a 3-D student yet they still think that they are the best." Shimazu hissed.

Shin lifted his head with interest. "What was that?"

Ooishi and Shimazu sat up and rephrased their words. "They think they're the best and brightest."

Shin deliberated as he sat up. He randomly glanced down to his left, at Davina's dance bag, which she left behind. To everyone's surprise, Shin stood from his desk then glided through the row with haste.

"Shin!" His friends jumped to their feet, ready to run after him.

Yankumi uncrossed her arms slowly as her brows furrowed. "Sawada? What are you—hey! Sawada!" She called after Shin as he opened the door that led directly to the hallway and exited without a word. The door shut; the lock ticked loudly in the suddenly silent room.

Yankumi bit her lip, quickly replaying Shimazu's and Ooishi's words, trying to figure out what set him off.

She was reminded of Headteacher's closing words and her eyes widened incredulously when she found found the correlation: the best and brightest.

Though she was surrounded by many concerned faces, Yankumi pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose then ran out the classroom after Sawada.

* * *

Davina sighed as she completed the final character in the entire katakana character: N.

"You _do _know hiragana and katakana. With 3-D as your Japanese tutors, I'm surprised that you can even introduce yourself." Haruki jeered at his own sense of humor.

Davina smacked her piece of chalk hard onto the rack then turned to Haruki with a poker face.

Haruki approached Davina and pointed to her expression. "Look at that! Did you learn that from Sawada?"

Davina's hand clenched painfully at her side. What she would have given to smack that stupid smirk off of his face? Her knuckles ached and she refrained from showing her distress. "What's next?" She asked calmly.

"Hmm, how about some kanji? Or maybe your hand is tired? How about some speaking then?"

"Speaking is fine." Davina crossed her arms dully.

"Tatsuya? You wanna try and do some of the work?" Haruki chuckled.

Tatsuya shook his head feebly. He accidentally met Davina's sight then twisted away again.

Haruki smacked his lips impatiently at his friend then turned back to Davina with something to the tune of enthusiasm. "I'll ask a question, if you can understand, you'll be able to answer. Question 1: What color is the sky?"

Davina licked her lips. "Blue."

"Question 2: What color is your hair?"

"Red."

"Question 3: What is the name of this school?"

"Shirokin."

Haruki sneered with amusement. "That is probably the first time I have ever heard a girl speak that name without grimacing or crying out in fear! Eh, Tatsuya?"

Tatsuya didn't so much as flinch at Haruki's mentioning his name. He knew that Haruki was attempting to draw him into the situation with Davina. He was also extremely patronizing, but Davina had yet to show her annoyance.

"Question 4: What day of the week was your date with my friend, Tatsuya?"

Tatsuya jerked noisily on top of the desk, but if Haruki or Davina heard, they didn't physically acknowledge it. "Haruki—stop it—

"Saturday." Davina replied curtly.

Haruki ignored Tatsuya purposefully and approached Davina. "We should try a more challenging exercise then? Since you can answer with one-word responses."

"Fine." Davina spat.

Haruki leaned forward so that his chin was level with hers.

Tatsuya slid off the desk, shocking his ankles when he jumped on the floor. What is Haruki thinking...?

"Answer me this if you don't mind Dabina-chan—

"Don't call me that." Davina muttered grimly.

Haruki paused for a moment to determine Davina's resentment, but then continued on as if uninterrupted. "The rumor that is being so joyfully spread by 3-D is that you chose Sawada. Shed some light on that?"

Davina retained a groan. Why does everyone in the entire world feel the need to comment on that? "Does that fact surprise you?"

Haruki smirked then snickered. "Trust me when I say that I have zero problem with it." When Davina's expression remained the same, he continued. "Listen, when Sawada first came to Shirokin, he and me were in 1-A together. I know exactly how clever he is."

Haruki caught a glint of longing in her eyes and his torso fluttered with malicious delight from seeing a slight break in her composure. "Sawada didn't really befriend anyone until his second year when he joined up with Uchiyama and Kurosaki. Those two...so quick to throw a punch, yet dumb as rocks. Sawada must like surrounding himself with slower people."

Davina gritted her teeth, but to Haruki she merely locked her jaw.

Tatsuya watched the scene with an incredulous widening of his eyes. What do you want, Haruki? "Haruki..." Tatsuya's voice squeaked from being silent for too long. The two other teenagers tore their attentions away from each other and gave an icy glare at Tatsuya. Any bravery Tatsuya once possessed shredded away and suddenly he felt exposed and cold. "I-I-I said stop it. That's enough."

Haruki's sneer stretched from satisfaction. "Tatsuya knows Sawada too."

Tatsuya stiffened, immediately figuring out Haruki's intentions and realized that he fell into his trap.

"See," Haruki turned back to Davina. "For second year, Sawada was moved to 2-C with Tatsuya. Everyone was impressed that Sawada hit a teacher, but Tatsuya wasn't impressed, weren't you?"

Tatsuya's breath hitched in his chest as the agitation sparked within him. He looked at Davina and uncontrollably, the anger within dispersed to every part of his body. Her glare stayed strong, killing any hope Tatsuya might have owned that she could forgive him. If looks could kill...he thought.

In morbid awe, Tatsuya had listened to the rumors spread by 3-D. Remembering how Sawada and Davina acted together during the English tutoring, Tatsuya grudgingly had zero doubt that they were seeing each other. When his classmates had reluctantly informed that of that, Tatsuya had retaliated by calling Davina 'uptight' and said that he had ended the date on a sour note on her end. Akira and Kazu kept the truth hidden for the sake of their friend's pride; they owed him at least that.

3-C responded to 3-D's antics with Tatsuya's story, whether they believed it or not. Tatsuya was part of 3-C and they needed to watch his back. 3-D didn't buy it one bit; they still dangled the fact over Tatsuya and 3-C that 3-D and Sawada had won.

"I never expected to see you again like this, Dabina." Tatsuya muttered. "Just like how I never expected Kazu, Akira, and Haruki to show up that day in Shibuya."

Davina's expression softened and she shook her head solemnly. "It's so late now, Tsuchida. I genuinely thought we could have been friends, but I can't forget what you said about 3-D and Shin."

'Shin'_, _she had called Sawada, yet she called him 'Tsuchida'. It's not fair, Tatsuya thought as an emotion boiled within him that he did not want to name.

If Davina hadn't been watching, she would have missed it. Something in Tatsuya's eyes changed into something aggressive and vicious. Restless, he yanked at his blazer collar and scoffed humorlessly. "I never understood the fascination with Sawada. In 2-C, the teachers left him alone, his classmates respected him. He _never _had to try." He groused with hatred. "I tried with you, Dabina, but you went running back to Sawada."

"Jealously? That is what this is all about?" Davina murmured bitterly.

"Jealously..._jealously_? What I feel from the bottom of my heart is not jealously, but contempt." Tatsuya sniggered morbidly. "It's sobering to know that I can see Sawada for what he really is—trash."

"You think that saying such things will make you superior? Don't make me laugh!" Davina exclaimed, straining her throat.

"3-D achieves something nice for Fujiyama and you're convinced that they're good? It's only a matter of time before their true colors show." Tatsuya taunted.

"Stop it." Davina interjected.

"They'll cause ruthless violence, maim, steal, bully, and hurt you. Unless Sawada has already lay his hands on you—

"Shut up!"

"How does Shin-chan hold his little Aka-chan? That is what 3-D calls you right?"

Haruki suddenly knocked Davina's balance off by severely yanking her back at her forearms. She fought against his grip, but his hands dug sharply into her arms, preventing her from running away. Tatsuya stood over her, but avoided her eyes as he allowed his hands to shamelessly circle around her waist under her jacket.

"Get off of me! Let go!" Davina struggled, crying out in English.

Tatsuya rubbed the curve of her waist then slid down slowly to her hips. His fingertips fumbled with the beading of her skirt as they glided down to the hem. He felt her smooth skin just above her knee then slowly dragged his hand up her inner thigh.

Davina's legs jerked sensitively from his touch. She slammed her back unconsciously against Haruki's chest with a fear-stricken gasp. Haruki's lock on her arms loosened and Davina seized the moment and kneed Tatsuya squarely in the nose.

Tatsuya stumbled back, roaring blisteringly angry as he cautiously covered his nose.

Davina released an arm from Haruki's grip then started after the door. His other hand tightened over her other arm and halted Davina from running.

"I said—let go!" Davina cocked back a fist, twirled around and hit Haruki in the jaw and lip. Before seeing Haruki smack the floor, Davina sprinted to open the door then ran down the corridor.

She stifled her cries, but ducked her head as hot tears blurred her vision. Her chest pounded so loudly that the rushing claps of her steps sounded dim comparatively. Her waist, her hips, her thighs—the flesh Tatsuya had touched burned as if exposed to a flame. Her forearms ached from being crushed, meanwhile the knuckles on her right hand glowed red.

Davina located a staircase and hopped down two steps at a time. She keep her haste despite her wobbly stature; she had no idea if Tatsuya or Haruki were following her.

She spotted a woman with pigtails clad in a jersey suit when she arrived on the ground floor. "Yankumi!"

Yankumi twisted around from the edge of the corridor and searched for who called for her. "Dabina!" She jogged to Davina. "What happened? We were looking all over—

"Shin—" Davina gulped when the familiar, shaggy-haired boy ran from the adjacent hallway. He stopped at the edge of the corridor, looked in the opposite direction then saw Yankumi and Davina.

"What happened?" Shin asked when he noticed the same ashamed expression she gave him in Shibuya. He quickly checked over her body for any abrasions or marks. Though her skin appeared clean, judging by how Davina shuddered, she was severely distressed.

Davina's teeth cut into her lip when she bit it. When asked to disclose what happened, her throat tightened and dried.

The three of them snapped their heads to a shouting voice from down the corridor. "Yamaguchi-sensei!" Washio-sensei hurried his heavy body as quickly as he could muster.

Yankumi proceeded forward to confront Washio-sensei. He flashed Davina and Shin a dubious look, but spoke only to Yankumi. "Yamaguchi-sensei, Headteacher urgently needs to see you and Suminsu-san in his office. Now!" The short man warned before swiveling around to direct them to Headteacher's office.

Both Shin and Yankumi slowly turned to Davina. Their questions of what had occurred still floated in the air yet their former urgency was repressed by the need to see Headteacher. In the pit of their stomachs, a sense of foreboding fluttered, promising that they would receive their the answers soon.

* * *

AN: Tatsuya was originally supposed to be a good kid. Actually, he was never meant to be named, just an anonymous student who ran into a 3-D student who was studying for his English midterm. Haruki was always meant to be a pain in the ass and I'm quite confident that I have portrayed him to be extremely annoying and malicious. If you all don't want to pummel Haruki or Tatsuya senseless then I haven't done my job.

I hope I didn't take that scene too far, but I suppose that will be something that Davina must deal with. I'm trying to write as much as I can before March when I must complete another set of essays for each module.

Anyway folks, I hope you enjoyed this one and you know what to do.


	17. Chapter 17: Scrutiny & Mutiny

I think I've settled into a sort of groove with this story again. This is another really long one, folks… ^^; Please excuse any grammar mistakes. No matter how many times I reread the chapter, I NEVER manage to catch them all. I should invest in a beta reader. Any offers? ;)

Also, please excuse my lack of regularly written thanks for reviews! I normally do it before each chapter, but remarkably, the thought of posting chapters stresses me out and I must have forgotten for chapter sixteen…*nervous laugh*

Anyway! Allow me to express my late, but undying gratitude to Whisper of Yesterday, -black-.x.-rabbit-, bethspore4, Lexy4eva, and Buru-beri-chan for reviewing chapter 15! Thankfully, since all of you were logged on, I can personally reply to each of your messages. Also, majors thanks to those who were able to review chapter 16! Thank you Yana, Buru-beri-chan, cheri, darkredcrystal, and Alexis.

I'm glad that the consensus was that Tsuchida and Inoue need to get pummeled.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Seventeen

* * *

Shin and Davina followed Yankumi around the ground floor to the Teacher's office to meet with Headteacher. It disturbed Shin to see Davina lean her head away every so often and pretend to be tucking a loose piece of hair to her ear when he knew she was actually wiping away her tears.

Davina could perceive Shin's attentive looks, but she didn't want for him or Yankumi to see her cry. _Hold it in for now, Davina. _If she had a moment to herself, maybe she could allow herself to release a rush of tears and then portray herself as composed. Regardless of how she had been determined to withhold her emotion, her vision would water and her bottom lids would become heavy until gravity finally pulled the tear down her cheek. Regardless of how uncontainable her emotions were Davina couldn't bear the thought of explaining the purpose behind her tears to Shin and Yankumi.

Her jacket hung loosely on her shoulders and with each step, her sleeve would brush lightly against the crushing sensation on her forearms. Memory of Haruki's jeer and Tatsuya's grasp on her body wretched deep shame within her chest and caused her eyes to well up with more tears. Davina darted her head away from Shin, towards the dusty floor. She quickly flicked her tears away, but before she could lift her head and shrug her hand into her jacket pocket, a gentle hand closed over hers.

Davina peered up to her right and bravely faced Shin's unblinking expression. She felt her knees slightly weaken as she read the underlying worry in his poker face. Shin's ringed thumb caressed the roughened skin of her knuckles and the wet stain of tears. Davina inhaled deeply and wondered if he noticed the abrasions.

An answer was given when Shin saw her bite her lip and then turned her hand over to fully examine it. Her fingers and palm quivered slightly in his grip and her four knuckles were defeated with harsh red lines and torn skin. Shin had been in enough fights to know how such could mar a bare hand. Finally, Shin, with care, interlaced his fingers with hers and allowed their hands to sway together as they walked.

"Your first experience?" Shin murmured in English.

Davina feebly nodded her head. She had practiced hitting with her father, but never actually used it with an absolute force to actually harm someone. She wondered grudgingly, from the ache, if she had hurt herself more than Haruki. "Never before."

Shin softly rubbed her pained knuckles, the bruised skin reminding him of his first fight.

Yankumi fought the urge to glance back at the two as they spoke quietly to each other in a language that she, despite administrating tutoring sessions, couldn't even begin to grasp.

Shin squeezed her hand then released it slowly as Yankumi led them to the entrance of what Davina figured to the main office. Yankumi slid the door open and before they could step through, Shin gazed down at Davina. She met his stare with awe; even as his face was blank, there was a spark in his eyes.

Though Davina's eyes were still wet with tears, her embarrassment was pacified and she immediately felt safe with Shin. He often teased Davina of being unobservant, but only because he was so watchful and _protective_. Protective. It was only half true that Davina was unobservant. Her surroundings were generally glossed over, yet she could always feel Shin's tender presence. She hadn't realized how much she enjoyed Shin just being there. She had basked in his protectiveness without ever noticing.

Perhaps that's why he called her unobservant.

In the short time Davina had been without Shin's care, her chest endured wrenching pain. The stubborn part of her reminded Davina that she had become pathetically clingy to a certain individual and that was _so _not her.

However, she did prove that she could defend herself against Tatsuya and Haruki without Shin's help. What was daunting, however, was the inevitable problem of Davina telling Shin of why she had hit them. It was only a matter of time before someone demanded for her to confess. Common sense alone said that this ominous meeting with Headteacher would forcibly draw those answers out.

As they entered the office, Davina felt the natural light that peeked under the window blinds warmly caress her skin. The sunlight gleamed over Shin's shiny hair as he strolled in front of Davina, following Yankumi. Apprehension fluttered unpleasantly in her stomach at the thought of looking Shin in the eyes and telling him what Tatsuya and Haruki did in order to earn their injuries.

She did a quick one-over on the Teacher's Office. Several long desks, busy with high stacks of books and worksheets, were organized in rows. Furthermost away from the door, after a pale green pillar, was a centrally placed desk that was possibly meant to authoritatively overlook the rest. Coincidentally, there leaned Headteacher assembled with two students.

The beehive-haired man was not in a laughing mood as he stared unseeingly in the distance unflinchingly with furrowed brows. When he finally saw Yamaguchi-sensei and Davina, he motioned with a flick of his fingers for the two student-uniform clad individuals in front of him to move to the side.

Davina immediately twitched when she recognized the students just by the cut of their hair.

Yankumi and Shin lined up with the students and both nearly gawked unpleasantly at their facial injuries.

Tatsuya's nose was swollen and patched up with gauze while Haruki's cheek was bruising a deep shade of purple. Both boys were in a dejected daze and didn't bother acknowledging Yankumi, Shin, or Davina even as they stood within a few inches of them.

Yankumi suggestively panned back at Davina in disbelief as if to ask if she had caused the injuries.

Davina didn't pretend to be surprised by their marks as she stared blankly and guiltlessly at 3-D's teacher.

Yankumi grimaced eventually, using the silence as her answer. She awfully wished Davina had told her before they were within earshot of Headteacher.

Shin had hidden his initial instinct to react to seeing Tsuchida and Inoue in their compromised states. He then recalled that he had checked only one of her hands and it was anyone's guess as to how many times Davina had struck them with either of her hands.

Headteacher obviously scrutinized Davina's face for any markings or cuts as she stood with the others and he sighed. He performed a quick headcount in the office. Washio-sensei hovered from the far right, closer to the nurse's office and Inoue and Tsuchida. Meanwhile, Yamaguchi-sensei and Sawada stood on either side of Suminsu, resembling body guards. How he could have scoffed at the thought if he had the chance? Why would the girl need such protection if she were capable of injuring not one, but _two _students and not even harbor a single scratch?

Headteacher effectively cleared his throat and arrogantly crossed his arms. "Unfortunately, there are no third party witnesses to this skirmish, so we'll have to go by the hearsay and evidence—

"Headteacher—" Yamaguchi-sensei interrupted, slight fretful, but was distracted when Headteacher pointed a finger an inch from Davina's nose.

"Why did _you _attack Tsuchida and Inoue?" Headteacher ignored Yankumi and directly confronted Davina in English. She swayed back from being startled, both surprised by his sudden use of English and his extreme accusation.

Yankumi had zero idea what Headteacher's statement meant, but she used her body as a barrier between Davina and Headteacher. "_Ano, _how can you accuse her—"

"Both Tsuchida and Inoue swore that she brutally attacked them. Someone please repeat for Yamaguchi-sensei." Washio-sensei, from the safety of his corner, gestured for either Tsuchida or Inoue to respond.

Inoue stepped forward, tipping his head with fake reluctance that Davina didn't even know he was capable of. He smoothed the ends of his hair, avoiding Davina's sharp gaze as if abashed. "We were working on kanji." He began, shrugging his hands to his blazer pockets.

Headteacher and Washio-sensei mutually nodded as they listened to note the key points of Inoue's narration. Both clearly hadn't forgotten since they first saw Tsuchida and Inoue and how the boys had schemed to see nurse Kawashima without explaining their injuries. She had reported the suspicious bruises to Headteacher and Washio-sensei. With some prying by the two teachers, Inoue confessed the nature of their marks and Headteacher vowed that he would get to the bottom of it.

"It was my fault. I pointed out a mistake in Suminsu-san's work and she became furious."

Yankumi followed along with unease, a tense knot tossing her stomach. She subtly glimpsed at Davina and could have cowered away from the hatred radiating from the young girl's eyes.

"Tatsuya and I tried to calm her, but without warning, she hit us. We would have defended ourselves...but since she is a girl...we didn't." Inoue finished with a heavy and slightly relieved sigh. His expression to Headteacher and Washio-sensei bore what appeared to be sincere gratitude for their assistance, for without them, he wouldn't have had the will to step forward.

Shin, without doubt in his mind, did not buy Inoue's portrayed melodrama. He chewed the inside of his cheek to contain his remarks. He couldn't handle the sight of Inoue tricking Headteacher and Washio-sensei to gain their sympathy. Shin peered down to Davina and could have sworn that her eyes were grayer than before, as if sparked by the fuming rage within her.

Shin, in the past, had seen her peeved, annoyed, saddened, and impatient, but never angry like this.

Davina's breath hitched in her throat while her eyes widened disbelievingly at Inoue's story. Her jaw dropped with anticipation of shouting at Inoue for his downright lies. That son of a—

Yankumi was the first to break the tension. "Please wait a moment." At the sound of Yankumi's voice, Davina blinked and the rushing emotions were instantly subdued as she felt her weight sunk back into her heels. _Get a hold of yourself. _

"We need to hear her side of the story—" Yankumi protested again, firmly.

Headteacher threw his head back and grinned with a repressed laugh. "Look at the marks on their faces! Those weren't there when I left them!" Headteacher retorted while pacing a three foot circle. "And look! There aren't any marks on her face, which proves that they really didn't hit her."

"Just let me ask her." Yankumi demanded and Headteacher scoffed, clasping his hands behind his back.

_She'll just lie, _he squinted at them distrustfully.

Yankumi faced Davina and visually absorbed the girl's Caucasian features with a nervous gulp. She never forgot that Davina was a non-native Japanese speaker, but the present brutal situation shined a harsh light on that fact. She sighed as she carefully formulated a question that would be hopefully suitable for Davina's Japanese skills. In such a crucial moment, Yankumi couldn't dare confuse her. "Dabina-chan...Is what Inoue said true? Did you hit him and Tsuchida?" Yankumi asked plainly and slowly.

Davina swallowed to soothe her dry throat as the focus on the room pressed heavily onto her shoulders. It was at that moment that Davina, for the first time, seriously thought of lying to Yankumi. However, she bared no guilt for her actions towards Tsuchida and Inoue. She thought of how Shin examined her beaten knuckles; Shin already knew the truth so what did it matter if Davina admitted it now? "Yes, I did hit them." She affirmed to that part of the Yankumi's question and that alone.

Yankumi narrow her eyes, perplexed at first then vitally realized that Davina only answered half of her questions.

"That settles it!" Headteacher's blaring voice disrupted the quiet exchange between the two women. "She confirms that what Inoue and Tsuchida say is true—" Headteacher barked, but was shushed again by Yankumi.

Silence engulfed the office again as Yankumi stepped closer to Davina. "Is what...Inoue said true? Did you hit him because of a kanji mistake?" Yankumi asked particularly.

Davina could sense the glares of Tatsuya and Haruki, barely hidden by the collars of their blazers and their fringes of hair, and gulped again. "No...he lied."

Yankumi exhaled the breath she had been holding, glad for trusting her instinct. "Did you...hit them...for a good reason?"

Davina's throat tightened from another wave of emotion crumbling her composure. "_Yes_." She choked out.

"What was...that reason?"

Though Yankumi's and Shin's presence was alleviating the discomfort caused by Headteacher, Washio-sensei, Inoue and Tsuchida, Davina's ability to speak suddenly failed. Her memory flashed over the incident and something deeper than shame reverberated through her limbs. Davina could almost still feel Tatsuya's lustful touch and the nerves incited by such were nauseating. The fact that she had shouted and actually hurt someone was alien to Davina.

Saying how Haruki restrained her by the forearm and that Tatsuya squeezed her waist and reached under her skirt was terse and almost too simple and bare in Davina's head. Would they accuse her of making a big deal out of it?

When Davina opened her mouth to utter something, the words were unreachable. In her jacket pockets, Davina's hands crushed into painful fists, regardless of the stubborn ache in her hurt hand.

Everyone watched as Davina obviously struggled then her eyes furiously darted, with glints of embarrassment, to the tiles. How was she supposed to answer Yankumi's question?

"_Well?_" Headteacher snapped, tapping his foot impatiently.

Davina's teeth pierced her lip, reopening the cuts she had earlier caused. _Come on! You're stronger than this! Shin and Yamaguchi are with you. Even if no one else in the office believes you, they certainly will._

_You're supposed to always have perfect control of your body and never allow anyone to yield that control. It's worthless as a ballet dancer. You should have been more careful._

_But it's not your fault!_

_What if they get away with it? They'll humiliate you. Your parents might find out. Shin will have to listen to your story...what would he think?_

Davina remembered the incident in the span of a second. Vivid images flashed by as if it were just a dream. "I-I..." Her skin still felt the weight from the physical sensation of Tatsuya's grasp.

"I-I..." Davina shut her eyes to drive the scowling Tatsuya and Haruki from her vision and attempted to speak again.

_If you say it there's no chance of ever taking it back. Why does anything have to be said anyway?_

"What is she waiting for? Headteacher mumbled not so quietly to Washio-sensei.

"Go ahead, Dabina-chan." Yankumi passively ignored Headteacher and hoped that Davina hadn't understood his snide comment.

Davina's stomach whirled from unease and her knees were to ready to cave in at any second.

_How in the world do you explain something so surreal?_

Davina finally drifted away from her mental dilemma and focused on Yankumi with forced bleakness. Yankumi blinked and Davina's pained expression transformed into indifference. Yankumi knew with all her heart that Davina _did _care and must have acted upon good reason. Yankumi randomly spotted Inoue and Tsuchida out of the corner of her eye and thought maybe Davina was uncomfortable with them in the office.

Yankumi pursed her lips to suggest moving to a different room, but Davina replied finally. She simply shook her head and rubbed a pounding pressure in her forehead. "Yankumi...there was no reason."

Yankumi's complexion paled grimly and her eyes became tiny dots within her glass lenses. She shook her head, her pigtails bouncing at her neck, and hoped that she had heard wrong. "Huh, Dabina-chan?"

"I said there was no reason." Davina restated with hints of annoyance. It was hard enough to lie to Yankumi, let alone deliberately repeat it. Her face unwillingly softened from Yankumi's unconvinced stare, which remained in tact even as Headteacher and Washio-sensei paraded in satisfaction towards Inoue and Tsuchida.

"You're lying through your teeth."

Davina and Yankumi turned in unison to Shin who peered down intently at Davina. "Shin..."

"Inoue and Tsuchida have said nasty things before yet you didn't do anything. And in other situations..." Shin paused for Davina to absorb the reference to the night they first met.

Yankumi's attention flared between them and she realized as Davina inhaled deeply that she couldn't possibly understand the nature of Shin's words. Yankumi noticed Davina briefly turning her chin away from Shin as if he mentioned something painful to remember. "I can barely conceive of you hitting someone. Without those marks on your knuckles, I wouldn't believe it for a second. And I don't believe you now...when you say that you would hit someone for no reason."

Shin's eyes bore into Davina's until she eventually ripped herself away for the sake of remaining composed. Her knees quivered as if they were about to give way; she desperately needed to sit down. "Don't look at me like that." Davina merely mouthed to herself as her stomach rotated roughly. She swallowed but bile crept up her throat.

Davina slammed her palm to her lips and mumbled, "I think I'm gonna be sick," to Yankumi mistakenly in English. However, Yankumi understood the gesture and quickly led her into the nurse's office, past Kawashima-sensei, straight to the bathroom. Shin hurried after the both of them.

Washio-sensei and Headteacher looked on concisely with arrogant nods. "What should be done now?" Washio-sensei squeaked to Headteacher.

Headteacher slightly tilted his head in wonder, beaming in self satisfaction. "She will promptly write an apology letter to both Tsuchida and Inoue then leave campus—

"I want to press charges." Inoue spat. He restrained an amused sneer at Washio-sensei's, Headteacer's and Tsuchida's surprised jaws that could practically hit the floor.

"Haruki..." Tsuchida murmured urgently, but was not acknowledged by Inoue.

Washio-sensei viewed Headteacher's deeply manifested astonishment as the man's brows raised high on his forehead.

Police involvement? Headteacher's lips thinned anxiously. He hadn't considered that in the least... Even if his students weren't the perpetrators, police investigations regarding Shirokin were never good news or good publicity.

Thankfully, Washio-sensei processed on the same level as Headteacher and was already backpedaling. "Inoue-_kun—_" he chose the honorific affectionately "_–_surely a sincere written apology and verbal apology are all that is warranted."

"Yes! An apology is fine." Tsuchida direly commented, but mostly to necessitate his friend.

Inoue bent forward to coldly glower down at Tsuchida. "_I _want to press charges. Don't try to convince me otherwise." He twisted back to Headteacher and Washio-sensei and earnestly bowed, "yoroshiku."

Tsuchida stood in a speechless stupor, frozen on the spot. Haruki hadn't said a _word _about charges when they were concocting an idea, and somehow, he knew that Haruki hadn't randomly decided on that. After both of the boys recovered from the disorientation of Davina hitting them, Haruki had suggested a plan: inform Headteacher, get her into trouble, her school would get called, meanwhile the rest of the responsibility would be burdened on not only Yamaguchi-sensei, but Sawada and the rest of the 3-D.

"Just leave it to me." Haruki had reassured him with a strong squeeze of his shoulder before they entered Headteacher's office.

Damn you, Haruki! He knew that Tatsuya wouldn't have gone along with the plan if he had been openly aware about the intentions of pressing charges! Tatsuya had followed Haruki into the nurse's office, which interestingly, his wary stature worked in their favor as Kawashima was immediately concerned for them. Tatsuya hadn't muttered a single syllable when Washio-sensei and Headteacher marched into the nurse's office to demand an explanation.

Tatsuya's fragile grasp of his will to follow Haruki was obliterated when he spotted Davina's undeniable countenance of hatred to him and Haruki. Part of him was slightly thankful that Haruki hadn't been spared of her fury, but the other part was numbly accepting the fact that his impression on Davina was permanently ruined, beyond repair.

Slipping out of his daze, Tatsuya refocused on Haruki's guiltless request to Headteacher to phone the police. Tatsuya had seen Davina's glaring detest and bitterly realized that Davina would never smile at him again. He was alert of the situation, the question remained of how far he wanted to take it.

After a long moment of debating, Tatsuya eventually cringed to repress the nagging emotions within him. He bent forward in line with Haruki. "_Yoroshiku_. I want to files charges as well."

* * *

Davina thoroughly washed her mouth for the fifth time, getting rid of the last of the horrible taste, while she checked every inch of her face, neck, and clothes for vomit stains.

After Yankumi rushed Davina into the nurse's office and into the bathroom, the door shut behind Davina and she retched twice into the toilet bowl while tossing her jacket off to the coat railing so it wouldn't get dirty. Her stomach was instantly relieved yet her head pounded as if beaten by a jackhammer.

She leaned against the wall of the tiny beige room for a long time, shutting her eyes while mentally spacing out from the consistent spins of a ceiling fan.

She gingerly rose again to the sink. She twisted the cold water tap and cupped some water in her hands. She glanced up and noticed a mirror. The incandescent bulb above Davina's hair severely hollowed out her cheeks. Whatever healthy color within her complexion was washed away, save for the puffiness under her eyes. She splashed the water to her cheeks, soothed by the cool water.

Davina patted her cheeks dry and studied her reflection. She moved the damp pieces of hair to her ear and smoothed the rest of her hair. Her eyelids drooped as if tired, but she knew that was a result of puking. She raised her arms into the mirror view and numbly stared at her forearms.

She grabbed her jacket from the railing and purposefully covered her arms.

With a quick sigh, Davina turned around and took five steps—already to the door—to leave. She fiddled with the knob and slowly inched out. She swayed and fixed her vision on the door as she spun to shut it.

She heard a crackle of plastic and curiously peered to her side and saw an ice bag being extended towards her. "Thank you, Shin." She exhaled sincerely and pressed the bag to her forehead. The almost-too-cold bag was still soothing to her aching head.

"Are you feeling alright? You were in there for a while." Shin asked simply as he plopped himself into a chair.

Davina propped herself onto a bed then lay down on her back. Shin noticed how she meticulously smoothed her skirt, jacket, and shirt even though she lay down in order to rest. She held the ice pack to her forehead and shut her eyes. "I don't feel sick anymore, but I have a horrible headache now."

Davina heard a shuffle in Shin's chair and imagined him shrugging. "Where is Yankumi?"

An eerie silence made Davina suspicious. Finally Shin answered a second too late, "she's outside."

Davina opened her tired eyes and warily looked over to Shin. He noticed Davina staring at him but he pretended to be interested in a ceiling tile above them. _He's leaving something out...it took forever for him to even say that she was outside._

"Neh, what's going on?" Davina lightly smacked his arm to hurry his answer.

"_Betsuni_, just shut up and rest." Shin uttered.

Davina slammed a fist on the wooden plank on the bed's edge and groaned in aggravation from his snappish tone. She hastily sat up with her ice bag still clamped to her forehead. She blazed an unforgiving glare at Shin, whose eyebrows tweaked with interest. _Maybe that was _not _the most tactful way of putting it..._

Davina hurriedly hopped off the bed, and suffered from a slight wave of dizziness from rising too quickly. She winced then pressed the ice bag harder against her pulsating forehead. Shin rose, judging by the brushing of his sneakers against the tiles, wanting to convince her to sit back down.

"Just rest for now." He consoled, reaching for her forearm to ease her jitters, but as his hand graced along her jacket, she flinched severely with a gasp.

Shin unconsciously stepped away while Davina was certain that her heart skipped a beat. Time seemed hazily slow as the two teenagers gazed at each other then slowly down to her offended shaky arm. For what seemed like a long time, Davina's rapid breaths were painstakingly audible. She desperately tried to force her breathing flow to normalize by holding it, but such required being calm and calm was the furthermost thing from her grasp at the moment. Meanwhile, her chest pounded so loudly that she imagined that Shin could hear it as well.

Shin remained rooted in his position, his hand that had dearly reached out for Davina was still extended towards her. He absorbed the scene; his stance straightened again as his gesture fell to his side and his affected expression narrowed into a frown.

Davina subtly pulled her sleeve further over her wrist to make absolutely sure that her forearm was completely covered. The gears in her brain slowly churned again and she processed the horrible fact that she had pushed Shin away.

The redhead hesitantly glimpsed Shin's concerned face, but sharply twisted away when her boldness failed. _That look again. _

"What was that?" Shin asked lowly. Instinctively, he was ready to proceed forward, yet resisted from uncertainty of if to maintain his distance.

Davina honestly wasn't certain herself; she had never refused Shin's touch before, especially so viciously. "Shiranai, I don't know" was all she said before whirling around to slide open the door. _Please don't ask me if you know I don't want to explain,_ Davina nearly mumbled out loud, but that train of thought left her when she gazed over the group discreetly speaking to each other in desk chairs.

When sliding door opened, the soft conversation halted as seven pairs of eyes gravitated to Davina. She instantly recognized Yamaguchi, Washio, Headteacher, Tsuchida, and Haruki, all except for two men. Both of them were clad in suits yet varied in features. One man was clearly taller than the other judging by his shoulder structure. He had a modest, short hair style and subtle dimples in his cheeks as if he smiled a lot.

The man was not smiling at the moment, but not angry like Headteacher, perhaps inquisitive.

The other was wearing dark sunshades so Davina couldn't determine his expression. He leaned back in his desk chair and casually hung his suit jacket over his shoulder.

Yankumi rose with a despairing expression, she thought she had more time. "Dabina, are you feeling better?"

Davina meekly nodded she heard soft footsteps behind her and knew that Shin was there.

"Maybe...you should rest for a little while—"

"I'm fine." Davina uttered curtly.

Headteacher scoffed to Washio-sensei. How rude?

Washio-sensei squinted suspiciously at Shin. "Neh, Yamaguchi-sensei, shouldn't Sawada be in class? He can't be here."

Yankumi's and Davina's eyes widened urgently. "Sawada's English is good, if Davina doesn't understand something she can ask him. Let him stay." Yankumi begged.

Headteacher opened his mouth to protest but one of the other men spoke first.

"It's alright. Let there be no room for confusion. These are serious accusations."

"Shinohara-san..." Yankumi whispered, momentarily relieved for his allowing Sawada to stay in the room.

"Accusations she has already admitted to, officer." Headteacher added zealously. All he wanted was to get the situation over with.

Officer? Davina pondered, blinking rapidly. As in the police? Her heart skipped a beat as a dizzy urge to sit down overwhelmed her. She felt for an empty seat and quickly sat.

"Sensei, please, while that may be, we have to investigate this." The man named Shinohara said professionally to Headteacher who didn't argue.

"If Tsuchida and Inoue can recant their requests and statements for assault charges, we wouldn't need a statement from anyone." Washio-sensei muttered in collaboration with Headteacher who grumpily crossed his arms from his resentment of having to phone the detectives.

Tsuchida's glum stature straightened intentionally. "Yes, we are not wishing to drag this out."

To this, Inoue rolled his eyes. "I pass. Do what you want, Tatsuya. I'm going through with it."

Davina bitterly watched this exchange with thin lips, and unconsciously hid her legs behind the stands of the small table. She smoothed her skirt repeatedly, making sure the hem at least completely covered her knees.

Yankumi regained her seat next to Davina, observing the girl's obvious fretfulness. Yankumi could sense her own placid composure slowly unraveling. However, the biting pang in her gut told her that Inoue and Davina were both lying. Hopefully, Shinohara's expertise would lead him to the same conclusion because Headteacher and Washio-sensei were hopelessly biased. Interestingly, as Yankumi noticed, the two teachers were a bit rigid and ill at ease about Shinohara and Kawashigi being there.

"We have already listened to their statements." Kawashigi indicated, referring to Tsuchida and Inoue. "Both have already notarized their statements. She will have to confess her side and compose a statement herself. When necessary, we'll get her a professional translator—"

"She can speak for herself." Shin grumbled sharply.

"This does not involve Sawada! Yamaguchi-sensei! Dismiss him from the office!" Headteacher snarled.

Ignoring Headteacher's demand to kick out Sawada, Yankumi cut in. "Alright, where in Shirokin can she write her statement? If for any reason that she might need help, I can fetch Fujiyama-sensei or a dictionary."

Yankumi's spirit dampened as Headteacher and Shinohara purposefully tipped their heads to avoid her inevitable disappointment. "Huh? Wha—"

"_Sumimasen, _Yamaguchi-sensei." Shinohara gripped his knees and slightly bowed his head. "Please understand that this is procedure—"

"What is procedure?" Yankumi shook her head uncertainly.

"That...Suminsu-san will have to be escorted off Shirokin grounds. _Sumimasen._" Shinohara apologetically murmured before he could see Yankumi's mouth fall open.

"Escorted off Shirokin grounds...to where?" Yankumi's voice nearly cracked as her throat suddenly dried.

"Because the charges deal with assault, we'll have to take her to the police station." Shinohara uttered with professionalism, but with a glint of reluctance.

Yankumi furiously shook her head. "But! Is that really necessary? We still haven't heard her side of the story!" She cried.

"We _have _heard her side and she claims that there was no reason for hitting either of them!" Headteacher griped within the deep timbre of his voice.

"She also said that it was for a good reason!" Yankumi countered fervently.

"If the reason is so good then why won't she tell us? Not even you know what you're arguing for! I don't understand why you're defending her, Yamaguchi-sensei! She is not even your student!" Headteacher scolded intensely.

"Is taking her to a police station really warranted by the situation? Had she been a Shirokin student, the matter would have been dealt with internally." Yankumi argued.

"That is the problem in this situation, Yamaguchi-sensei." Shinohara chimed in with a non-argumentative tone, but with obvious difficulty. "She is _not _a student here and yet there was an assault that was committed by her being here. Yes, had it been just between Shirokin students, the matter would be treated differently. However that isn't the case, Suminsu-san, as a student of another school, is not allowed to be here. That is precisely why we have to escort her off Shirokin grounds. There's nothing else that we can do."

Restless from the rushing blood within her, Yankumi wanted to shout, cry out something to change their minds. However, defeated, Yankumi slowly and soberly turned away from Shinohara and Headteacher to face Davina. "I know you understood what they said. There _was _a reason and you have to tell them."

When Davina's expression remained unaffected, Yankumi's eyes despondently diverted to the ground. "You know what will happen if you don't...are you willing to deal with the consequences of keeping that reason a secret?"

At the end of her question, Yankumi lifted her chin and stared at Davina gravely.

The teenage girl tore away from Yankumi's pressing gaze and fumbled at the ice pack in her palms, now dripping with condensation. She glanced towards Shin's direction, wishing to see him for her own reassurance, but not wanting to appear desperate.

Shin was a guy of a single expression. However at that moment, even with his poker face, Davina sensed the glints of rage in his dark eyes. Though most of his posture remained casual, his hands balled into fists at his sides, squeezing so tight that his knuckles were white. Something about that reminded Davina of herself, when she had to endure listening to 3-C malign 3-D and how her knuckles cracked from pressure.

Shin finally caught the direction of her stare and met her eyes. "Gomen." She mumbled so lightly that Shin thought he had merely imagined it.

"Please stand, Dabina-chan." Yankumi uttered, still staring holes into the tiles at her feet.

Davina listened, slowly rising. Her shoulders dropped and she zipped up her jacket meekly.

Shinohara and Kawashigi stood and silently led Davina outside of the teacher's office. Davina avoided Shin's and Yankumi's eyes as she took long and fast steps to the sliding door. Shinohara slide the door open, and Kawashigi and Davina stepped through first. Before he left, Shinohara glanced over to Yamaguchi then slightly bowed his head ruefully.

"I'm going." Yankumi murmured seriously to herself.

Headteacher scoffed loudly. "Really, Yamaguchi-sensei? She's not even your student! Not to mention you have another math class to teach. If you don't attend that, I'll have no choice but to formally dismiss you as a teacher."

Yankumi and Headteacher glared in a face-off for a few moments, testing the others bravado to see who would falter first.

"Go back to class, Yamaguchi-sensei. And take Sawada with you." Headteacher warned at point blank. Yankumi sighed bitterly then tugged Sawada at the elbow.

Shin and Yankumi both coincidentally glanced over their shoulders to Tsuchida and Inoue just as Yankumi slid the door open. Tsuchida ducked his head to avoid their stares, but Inoue was thoroughly amused. Yankumi watched as he undeniably sneered at Sawada. She sensed Sawada's muscles stiffen in her grasp. However, before Shin could possibly react, Yankumi tightened her grip on his arm and practically threw him out into the hall.

Yankumi slammed the door shut behind her, using herself as a figurative shield between Sawada and Tsuchida and Inoue. "Sawada...don't." She'd be damned if another was sent to the police department on her watch.

Despite Yankumi's pleas for Sawada to stay calm, she formed a fist and smacked it against the stone wall. Respiring deeply, she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose before cradling her aching hand. "Did she really hit them?"

"I saw the scratches and bruising on her hand. She hit them without a doubt." Shin answered what was perhaps meant to be a rhetorical question.

"But why?" Yankumi grunted. "I suppose, I don't know her very well. I don't know if she would hit someone." She eyed Sawada out of the corner of her glasses, as if to dare him to answer for her.

He noticed her curious stare but shrugged simply to himself.

"When you two were together in the nurse's office, did she say anything? Anything at all?" Yankumi asked.

Shin suddenly remembered how Davina had flinched from his touch when he was merely trying to lay her down before she got sick again. "She didn't mention any of it."

Yankumi gaped at him. That's it? That's all Sawada had to tell her? She gloomily sighed, her hopes effectively dashed. "So, what can we do for Dabina now? I don't understand why she would lie about something like this—if she is even lying, depending on what I believe at this point."

Shin wasn't pondering a course of action, not just yet. Shin perfectly recalled the first night they had met. After the phone call from her parents, Shin had assumed that she had told them and that someone would be rushing to help her.

_"Your parents are coming?"_

_Davina's lips thinned. "No. They are not."_

_"Wakatta." Shin said curtly. Understood. _

Shin had been wrong in his assumption. Davina hadn't told her parents and he could bet that she still kept that night a secret from those she loved. Interestingly, Shin hadn't told anyone either. His reasons were based on the idea that it wasn't anyone's business. When his friends had inquired why they used the Minato station instead of the closer Roppongi station, Davina had avoided answering.

The question of how Shin was associated with Davina had come up numerous times. The question got old as soon as people realized that they wouldn't get a word from Shin or Davina. They just imagined that the reason wasn't important at all. Shin knew that the reason they had met wasn't nearly as important as their present ability to be together. However, though the reason was irrelevant to them, it revealed something dreadfully important about her.

Yankumi glumly began retreating, arms wrapped tightly around herself, back to 3-D. Headteacher had asked of her loyalty to Davina and why she had been so worried even though she wasn't a student of Shirokin, let alone 3-D. Yankumi didn't get the chance to say that while, true, she wasn't a student of 3-D, she had endured their antics with a smile and eventually became very special to her homeroom.

She nearly snorted as she walked. That wouldn't be something that Headteacher could easily comprehend.

"Yankumi..." Shin's deep voice slightly echoed in the hall.

Yankumi dropped her arms and swayed around. "Huh?"

"I think there is something I should tell you...about how Davina and I met."

* * *

Tsuchida and Inoue were eventually dismissed from the Teacher's office on the condition that they would return to class. Though he walked at a slower pace than Tsuchida, Inoue strolled ten steps ahead of Tsuchida, occasionally glancing out appreciatively to the gardens as if to relish the natural light.

Tsuchida's mind was still heavily preoccupied. He smugly thought that he, unlike Inoue, had a conscience. He glared at Inoue's back for a moment then his eyes drifted to his feet. It was the same hall way that he followed Headteacher with Davina. When Tsuchida imagined himself holding and touching Davina, he had never pictured using force.

He self-consciously shoved his hands into his blazer pockets—the same ones he used to grasp Davina's waist and thighs. He exhaled deeply, which was partially droned out by consistent beat of their footsteps. He couldn't even fathom his mindset from when that incident occurred. The only evidence Tatsuya had to establish that it was in fact him was his bruised nose.

No matter how he attempted to remember how and why it happened the more he forgot how Davina's skin felt to his fingertips and more of how loudly she had shouted for him and Haruki to release her. His chest wretched with disbelief and he gazed up purposefully at Inoue once more. Tatsuya blamed him for what happened.

Tatsuya, Kazu, and Akira have silently dealt with many of Haruki's unjustifiable antics, but this one had gone too far at Tatsuya's expense.

Haruki noticed Tatsuya's increase in pace, perhaps even before Tatsuya realized it himself. Haruki remained perfectly tranquil, even as Tatsuya yanked him up against the wall by his collar.

Wow, Haruki sneered, Tatsuya did have some gall to him after all. "Something wrong?" He taunted.

"You idiot! Do you have any idea what you've done? I thought you were trying to help me, but you've only made it worse."

"When did I ever give you the impression that I was trying to help you patch things up with her?" Haruki rolled his eyes despite the aggressive redness in Tatsuya's cheeks. Tatsuya's grip only tightened, dragging Haruki's shoulder blades up the stone wall.

"You can't deny that this police situation can only end in one way! She will spill the beans eventually." Tatsuya scorned.

"You see, if I believed that, I wouldn't be so stupid as to press charges." Haruki snapped against the pressure of Tatsuya's knuckles pressing on his throat.

Tatsuya's grip loosened as his initial bravery withered away. "What do you want out of this, Haruki?"

Haruki smiled and turned away from Tatsuya to dully pick at his dirty fingernails. "I don't know about you, but watching her, Sawada, Yamaguchi squirm is so funny."

"You think Yamaguchi is going to be okay with Dabina being quiet? You heard her. Yamaguchi said it adamantly that she doesn't believe that Dabina did what she did for no reason. Yamaguchi hasn't shown the ability to give up yet. Then what will you do?"

Haruki slowly lifted his vision back to Tatsuya. Tatsuya nearly gulped as Haruki shot him a sharp glare. "What will _you _do? You're involved in this as well, Tatsuya." Haruki smacked Tatsuya's hands away yet narrowed the distance between them as he approached him.

Tatsuya fought his instinct to cower away from the situation. He couldn't really control his facial features to form a mutual glare, yet he held his position even as Haruki stopped just inches away from his face. "You have a plan, _another _one, don't you?"

Haruki grinned. "You're not slow at all, Tatsuya. Yes, I know the perfect way to keep Aka-chan quiet."

Tatsuya blinked, then his eyes widened incredulously. "You're not serious? You're getting..._them_ involved?" Tatsuya's voice effectively cracked over 'them.' He gulped loudly as the blood drained from his face.

Haruki's expression was only further delighted by Tatsuya's disbelief. At this, Tatsuya shook his head against Haruki's grip. "This is too much, Haruki. I can't cooperate anymore—"

It was Haruki's turn to grab Tatsuya's collar and shove him against the wall for the sake of intimidation. Tatsuya groaned at the sharp pain in his shoulders, but he managed a hateful squint at Haruki. "Without my help, Tatsuya, she will speak and then _what will you do _? But you know what is going to happen: you, me will be expelled, she'll drag you through court, and whatever is left of you will be chewed up and spit back out by 3-D."

"But _why_?" Tatsuya hissed, his blood boiling within him. "Why go through all of this effort?"

Haruki sighed and loosened his grip on Tatsuya's collar. "I'll admit that you were right about her."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Tatsuya's breath hitched even though Haruki no longer obstructed his throat.

"Hearing my friend fret and obsess over a girl tweaked my interest. Akira and Kazu said that the girl was stuck up and that made me laugh. After I met her, I realized that you were right."

Tatsuya's stance weakened and he needed to press his weight against the wall for support. He silently cursed himself. Why hadn't he seen it before? Haruki had said that he wasn't slow, but how could he miss such a thing? "Haruki...y-you-you're _sick—_"

A collection of footsteps caused the boys to stare down the corridor. Casual yet full of intent, stood Kumai, Noda, Minami, and Uchiyama at the opposite end of the hall. Haruki couldn't help but think, though despite their high numbers, the group seemed incomplete without their leader.

"3-C...3-A...is there a problem?" Uchi asked superficially as he nudged his friends for them to join him in approaching the two students.

"Betsuni, nothing." Haruki muttered easily then released Tatsuya.

Tatsuya flicked his collars and met 3-D's stare. He could practically feel their eyes prying into his bandage and Haruki's bruised cheek.

Haruki faced Tatsuya one last time then turned away to leave the corridor. Tatsuya, fidgety, watched Haruki stroll down the hall without a care in the world. When Haruki turned down another hall and evaded his sight, Tatsuya naturally glanced over to 3-D, realizing suddenly that he was alone with them.

All of them varied in physical features, yet bared the same suspicious leer. However, before allowing himself up for an interrogation, Tatsuya spun on his heel and trudged away. He wanted to peek over his shoulder to see if they were following him, yet resisted, catching his breath only after she entered a different hall.

"Four against one or even two, maybe we could have beaten the answers out of them." Noda asserted, kicking a scrap piece of paper on the floor.

"Remember, Yankumi said that she doesn't like us ganging up on people. Besides, I'm not touching Inoue even if the odds are in our favor. Not because of what he can do now, but what he will do later." Minami groaned, leaning lazily against the wall.

The others slightly nodded in mutual agreement: that Inoue was a bad piece of work.

"Too bad Shin didn't bother to tell us what he was thinking before he ran out of 3-D. Maybe then we wouldn't be randomly running around these halls." Uchi complained, shrugging his hands into his blazer pockets. "Say, did anyone else notice their faces?"

"We're not blind! How could we miss them?" Noda chimed in incredulously.

"Do you think it was Shin who caused them?" Kuma murmured, speculating.

"Or Yankumi—" Minami added then all of them peered down in consideration, either of them were possibilities.

After a long moment of silence, Uchi posed another question. "So, how much of their conversation did we hear?"

They all ducked their heads again in thought. They had all heard Inoue threaten Davina for the sake of her silence. But silence for what? And how? They bit their lips when they recalled the horrendous rumors about Inoue. Surely those were just rumors, right? However, their foreheads sweat nervously from Tatsuya's frightened reply. 'Them,' he had said and he knew Haruki better than any of them.

"How do we deal with this?" Noda asked, thinking out loud.

"Who do we tell first, Shin or Yankumi?" Minami mused, leaning his chin up contemplatively.

"Why don't we tell Dabina?" Kuma inquired seriously, however none of his three friends could even verbalize their concerns to Kuma, let alone to Davina.

"Yankumi and Shin would know what to do." Noda nodded his head to reassure himself and the others. Kuma puffed his cheeks solemnly, still wishing for a genuine answer to his question, yet not bothering.

"Find either one of them and get filled in on what we still don't know." Uchi murmured, with a scratch of his blond hair.

"Yankumi has class at the moment, so where is Shin?" Kuma uttered.

"Probably with Dabina." Minami sighed.

"We have checked virtually everywhere on school grounds. If they're even on school grounds—where would they be?" Noda stated.

Three out of four of them sighed from slamming a mental dead end—all of them but Uchi.

"You know..." He began. "There is still...one place we have not checked yet." Uchi offered, tilting his head up as if to refer to somewhere upstairs...

"The roof!" The others shouted vivaciously in unison, practically racing each other to the staircase. All except for Kuma, who whined as he lagged behind.

* * *

It was a lovely spring afternoon for Tokyo. The late spring sun was burning with its first real heat of the year, while its strong rays glimmered spectacularly over the Shirokin common. A gentle breeze swayed the trees and provided relief against the heat.

The serene spring weather did not suit the conversation on the rooftop. Shin stiffly sat himself into a chair, which surprised Yankumi since the boy was normally so lax. Yankumi reluctantly sat herself, slightly too upset to get comfortable.

"And that's what happened." Shin finished with a deep exhale.

Yankumi darkly faced her pig-tailed shadow as she listened to the story. Her heart sunk as she silently endured her surprise that such a horrible incident brought Shin and Davina together. "So," Yankumi finally muttered her first words since she left the school building. "That's why you walk her home."

Shin glanced away as his brows arched with interest. Is that all she drew from the story? "That's why I believe she wouldn't hit them just for pointing out some kanji mistake." He worried ran a hand through his hair. "Something serious must have happened."

Though their demeanor was calm, Yankumi's torso was pounding with newly found nerves. If Davina wouldn't strike someone under such pretenses then what would drive her to the edge? Yankumi couldn't imagine allowing a couple of Roppongi scumbags to pick on her, but she reminded herself that she couldn't attach her vigor to Davina. "Did she ever explain why she never told anyone?"

"I never asked, figured that was the most tactful thing to do." Shin responded, shrugging. "However, the fact that she didn't tell her parents when they called her, I think, explains plenty. She would rather walk home with a stranger than confess such an event to her parents."

Yankumi lifted her vision to her student, wishing she could reach over and shake the kid. "Sawada—don't you believe that she trusted you even though you were a stranger?"

"Maybe she trusted me because she had no choice." Shin simpered. "I witnessed the whole thing and maybe there was no way for her to convince me to deny it."

Yankumi gritted her teeth until the frustration caused her to leap out of her chair. Shin peered up when a sharp smack of the metal chair grabbed his attention. Glowering over him was Yankumi, thin-lipped and quivering like a volcano about to burst. "You sound just like those in 3-D. Do you doubt her because you're aggravated that she didn't immediately admit to you what had happened?" She harshly scolded.

Shin's facial features remained passive despite Yankumi's raised voice. The glare of the sun reflected pointedly on her lenses as she lightly panted from incitement. "I know you're not so selfish to think that her reasons for keeping quiet only involve her."

Yankumi towered over her student, yet slowly sighed as the fiery stir within her died down. "What can be done now?" Yankumi asked sincerely, her volume lowering back to her typical tone.

Shin shuffled in his chair. "I don't think that Shinohara-san will arrest her."

Yankumi blinked as her stature softened. "Heh? What do you mean?"

Shin quickly licked his bottom lip. "Davina...most likely has partial extraterritorial right with account of her father being U.S. military personnel."

"U.S. military?" Yankumi gasped as her eyes became tiny dots behind her glasses. "Dabina is an army child...?" She mumbled rhetorically, dazedly reaching for her knocked over chair. She tilted her chin into the bunch of her pigtail as the fact mentally was digested.

Shin glimpsed over to Yankumi's gaping daze and couldn't help but think of how Minami, Uchi, Noda, and Minami bared the same expression when they found out too.

"That means that she'll just be released to her parents. That's good." Yankumi wishfully insisted with a deep breath of relief. "That means that you can speak with her later tonight." She reassured him, offhandedly reminding him to not do anything brash until then.

Shin shoved his hands into his blazer pockets and gazed up at the cloudy sky. Yankumi had hoped that her statement would relieve him however, something appeared to still be pressing his mind. "Sawada—"

A group of rushed steps up the staircase grabbed Shin's and Yankumi's attention. The glass door opened and four Shirokin students stumbled out.

"Yankumi!" Minami squeaked.

"Shin!" Kuma called.

They assembled in front of Shin and Yankumi, panting as if they sprinted upstairs. Kuma remarkably staggered into Noda's arms as if he were about to faint. "Watch it, fattie!" Noda shouted, catching his friend and setting him to the ground.

"Where is Dabina-chan?" Uchi asked after a quick survey of the roof, bending over to catch his breath. "We thought she would be up here with you." He muttered directly to Shin.

"Dabina-chan...was escorted off school property by Shinohara-san and Kawashigi-san." Yankumi uttered quickly.

"WHAT?" Uchi, Minami, Kuma, and Noda shouted in exasperation. All of them knew precisely what being escorted off of grounds by Shinohara and Kawashigi meant.

Uchi smacked his mouth in disbelief while Minami restlessly flipped his hair from his forehead. Noda and Kuma furrowed their brows, discreetly hiding their worries.

"Is there anything we can do?" Kuma asked softly.

Yankumi sighed, displaying her mutual concerns. "There isn't much...that can be done at the moment." The wind blew, crinkling the trees below them. "Since Dabina-chan is under twenty years of age, her parents will be the ones to pick her up and none of you can see her since you all are still minors."

"Downstairs...before coming up here...we ran into Tsuchida and Inoue."

"They were arguing and Inoue had Tsuchida pinned against the wall. We strolled right in the middle of it, but we still heard enough."

"Enough?" Yankumi warily asked, her body stiffening from a defensive stance, her hands curling into fists.

Four pairs of eyes drifted between each other, trying to select the bravest among them.

"Inoue made a threat...that he knew exactly how to keep Dabina-chan quiet." Kuma bit his bottom lip then stretched his legs in front of him. His plump cheeks puffed up as he sadly studied the gravel he rested on.

Yankumi briefly shut her eyes and massaged the bridge of her nose. "He made a threat you say? But...but...did Tsuchida not seem willing to go along with it?"

Noda shook his head. "He explicitly said that he didn't want to cooperate anymore. Yankumi...don't you understand?"

"Heh? What are you talking about?" Yankumi blinked in confusion.

Uchi drew in a heavy breath. "Maybe as a teacher you haven't heard, but there have been rumors about Inoue since second year...what we're trying to say is that...if Inoue makes a threat, he has the means to back it up."

Yankumi's breath grew shallow. Maybe it sounded like she had dismissed their warnings, however she originally believed that Inoue was merely a high school punk no worse than any of those from 3-D. However, within a time span of a few hours, she tasted first hand how malicious he could be. If Inoue could be worse than that, Yankumi almost didn't want to hear it. "What do you mean by that?"

Uchi, Minami, Kuma, and Noda occasionally took turns in enlightening Yankumi about Inoue's supposed history. None of them enjoyed nor took thrill in watching their homeroom teacher's expression sink deeper and deeper in worry.

Frequently, each of them would momentarily look over to Shin and without fail could only see Shin's hair darkly hanging over what they pictured as a scowl. However, they knew their friend well enough to recognize that the expression was only the surface. Had they been in his shoes, they would have already bolted out and cracked some skulls. Shin might not have been as bull-headed as the rest of them, but he was unquestionably the most concerned of them all.

It was only after Shin swept his hair away from his brows that each of his friends finally caught the agonized glint in his dark eyes. He remained silent as Yankumi listened to them about Inoue and while that manner was not something that any of them could openly relate to, they understood that Shin's concerns delved deeper than what the surface revealed. Kuma, Noda, Minami, Uchi could literally sense it radiate from their friend just by sitting near him and the anger that they empathized with slowly flooded their cores. They would not just sit idly and let that anguish continue for either of their friends, not now, not ever in the future.

After Minami closed with a final statement, Yankumi allowed the words to float between them so she could fully process their depth. Her sadness was evident in her tight facial features. Her lips were merely thin lines on her mouth, her eyes were hollow and fixed, yet unseeing onto the gravel floor.

The wind blew coolly through their clothes and Yankumi finally raised her chin and faced each of her students with recourse. "I have an idea."

* * *

Yay for getting a chapter out in a relatively timely manner! **Blows horn**I hope you all liked it and didn't find the length too long. If you have any questions or comments, or criticism on what I can improve on, don't hesistate.

Well, everyone, you know what to do. Thanks for reading and if you have time, please review.


	18. Chapter 18: Waiting for Answers

School is over for the year and I start again in Autumn. I lost my muse after finishing all my essays and studying for exams and this chapter was a bit slower. Yet I'm more satisfied with it than I expected. You see less of Davina and more of Yankumi and the boys, at least in comparison to the other chapters. Also, I had this finished chapter sitting on one of my computers while waiting for internet access and for some reason, my browsers HATE the new fanfiction layout...

Major thanks to Alexis, Yana, Emiri, won't be the Victim, animeboyluv, HeeHeeHee01, cheri, Whisper of Yesterday, Skiffle-Rose, tomatocream and last but not least, rin03 for reviewing since my latest update! Any and all comments and suggestions you have are welcome and appreciated.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Eighteen

* * *

The ride to the police station was uncomfortable, soundless, yet anxious. Davina sat with the side of her body pressed to the door, wishing she could either fast forward time away from the situation or never leave the car and never deal with it. Shinohara and Kawashigi spoke casually every so often when the silence was almost unbearable. Neither of them so much as glanced back at Davina nor verbally acknowledged her. Davina was thankful for that; she didn't want to remind herself of where she was or where she was going.

When they had began to depart from the Shirokin parking lot, Kawashigi had switched on the siren light, but Shinohara, much to Davina's gratitude, asked him to shut it off. Davina wasn't sure if he heard her audibly relieved sigh when he asked his colleague to turn off the siren. "No need for that." Shinohara had muttered. Kawashigi listened without protest.

Traffic was moderate for a Friday afternoon as the car cruises smoothly with little pause. She briefly wondered what the conditions would look like when she went to Shinjuku for her ballet practice. Davina then lightly snorted at the thought. After her parents retrieved her that day and hopefully don't break her legs, maybe then she could think about her normal routine.

She thought about Shin, his friends, Yankumi and the rest of 3-D but was too embarrassed to even conceive of speaking to them after what had happened. Yankumi was definitely sharper than the dork Davina had immediately labeled her. She had quickly figured out that Davina was lying, so much that Davina was almost impressed. Shin meanwhile...her stomach churned again. He was visibly upset about Davina lying.

Shinohara and Kawashigi drove her further North West, further than Davina had ever ventured in Tokyo. They turned and Davina saw a large gray structure with the prominent sign reading "Metropolitan Police Department." After parking, she was quickly ushered inside.

The redhead couldn't help but duck her head as eyes followed her, the distinctive foreigner, and the two officers. Cuffs weren't secured on her wrists so Davina wasn't technically under arrest, yet it was impossible not to quiver self consciously. The precinct reminded Davina of an ant farm; she had to gaze up at the white architecture with numerous rows and floors with figures of dark hair clad in business attire. At the end of the first level, Shinohara and Kawashigi led Davina into an elevator and pressed number three.

Upon arrival, Davina paused before stepping out into the busy floor. There were at least thirty workers, according to Davina's quick count, all of them either talking animatedly on their desk phones or scribbling on their mountain of paperwork. She strode in, led by Shinohara and Kawashigi, and could have sworn that all of the officials, regardless of how busy they initially appeared, obviously lifted their attentions momentarily to take in the scene.

Shinohara averted their curious glances by glancing down, knowing that they expected him or Kawashigi to explain. Shinohara peered back at the redhead who stared on after the two officers with a stony expression.

Kawashigi sighed as he opened the door to a witness room and led the teenager inside. He gestured to the table with four chairs and offered her a seat.

Davina could hear her shallow breathing due to the echoing acoustics of the tiny room. The blinds on the window filtered shards of natural light into the dull gray room. She quietly pulled back a chair and she pressed her spine as straight as possible against the back cushion.

The door shut and the silence was unbearable again. Kawashigi rubbed the back of his neck, wishing that Davina couldn't notice how he and Shinohara were not trained to deal with foreign minors. Shinohara sat down, facing Davina, remaining calm and clearheaded despite his unease with the Davina's situation. Shinohara had been trained well with procedure and he knew that while the teenager was in their custody, she would be treated like any other Japanese kid.

Davina's palms cupped her knees as the two officers quickly muffled Japanese. Kawashigi pressed his weight against a chair top as he leaned in to listen to his partner's plans. She saw their eyes divert to the white desk telephone perched at a corner of the table and bit her lip.

"_Her parents will have to be called." _Shinohara tapped his fingertips on the table.

"_So how do we call them? Ehhh, we don't speak English." _Kawashigi scratched his cheek.

"_We can get a translator." _Shinohara said.

"_Uhmm, I guess I can find the translators' contact list once I get the paperwork started. Oh, Inagawa from the second floor apparently speaks English!" _Kawashigi snapped his fingers.

Shinohara gave no facial indication of his agreement. _"Go ahead and start the paperwork. I'll wait here while she calls her parents."_

Kawashigi stood straight and muttered. _"Uh, do you think protocol will allow that? We don't normally let minors make the phone call to their parents."_

"_It'll be alright, I'll supervise it." _Shinohara reassured his partner. "_It's best if we make this as quiet as possible."_

Kawashigi ran a hand through his hair and proceeded to leave. He uttered the only statement that was loud and clear enough for Davina to understand. "Alright. I'll get the number for the United States embassy."

Davina inhaled a deep breath when Kawashigi disappeared behind the door. A brief rush of ringing phones and chatter echoed in the room, but vanished when the door shut, reminding Davina of the silence.

Shinohara sighed, recalling that calling the U.S. embassy was only a guess and that they didn't even have confirmation on her nationality. He shifted the phone towards the teenager. "Your parents will have to be called." He uttered simply and politely.

Davina picked up the glossy phone and pictured the numbers in her head, her finger poised over the buttons. She exhaled deeply then quickly dialed, holding her breath again as the touch-tone rang.

* * *

Yankumi controlled her breathing with skill as she jogged to the Oedo house. A train zipped by her as she reached home. She touched the Oedo crest as she pushed the gate door ajar. A group of suit-clad yet rough looking men bowed politely and all welcomed her in unison, "Ojou, welcome home."

The young teacher had returned to her classroom to finish the reminder of the school day. After the final bell, she left her remaining daily paperwork unfinished and bolted out earlier than normal with a special paper protected in her bag. Instead of normally strolling through the park with Fujiyama and Kawashima-sensei, strategically waiting to bump into Shinohara-san, which she normally would guiltless take part in, she had sprinted home and earned a bead of sweat on her forehead. To be fair though, there wouldn't be any snooping today since Shinohara was surely busy dealing with Davina, Tsuchida, and Inoue.

_Dabina, Tsuchida, and Inoue. _

What a mess it had become? First Davina won't tell her the truth. Then Inoue gets the police involved. Then Sawada tells her that she might be granted immunity and for some reason he's upset about that and won't explain why in a very Sawada-ish way. And her other students inform her that there's something fishy about Inoue. She had not expected such a conflict to arise during her math class.

Come to think of it though, according to Kuma, Minami, Noda, and Uchi, the roots of this problem began with Tsuchida, Tatsuya during the English tutoring. And why hadn't they told Yankumi? Or why hadn't she seen it earlier...? Well, she had noticed the dense competitive tension between Sawada and Tsuchida, but admittedly, she hadn't thought about it since Tsuchida disappeared during the last tutoring session.

Davina and Sawada had strolled into 3-D together without heed, so they couldn't possibly have figured such a ruckus would be unravel...

Yankumi blinked then remembered her glasses. She removed the specs, a normal sign of her winding down after a long day of school. With impeccable timing, Yankumi's henchman, Wakamatsu, Tetsu and Minoru, slid the door, changed into their outdoor slippers and stepped on the porch ground to welcome Kumiko.

"You three!" Yankumi pointed to the henchman.

The three men self-consciously inspected their garments then gave the others a once-over as if searching for a blotch of red sauce on their shirts. "Yes, Ojou?"

Yankumi's shoulder twitched from stress, and she rolled her tight shoulder, feeling the muscles ache. "I need to speak with you three, in private."

As if cued, the other Yakuza members stood aside and opened a clear, visible path for Kumiko.

The teacher kicked off her shoes and slipped her feet into comfy house slippers. "Do you know where is my grandfather?"

Tetsu and Minoru both looked at the Second-in-Command, Wakamatsu. "He is collecting the Oedo's cut from the new Central Hotel."

Yankumi smoothed her hair out of her pigtails and sighed. "Speaking with him can wait then—

"Ojou, is someone messing with you?" Tetsu growled with his thuggish voice, brows knitted.

Yankumi was silent for a moment, glancing away thoughtfully, leading into a quiet room, while the others stood aside with concern.

Finally, the teacher sat down on the tatami floor, pressing her weight on top of a wooden sake table.

The three men followed suit, sitting at opposing sides of the table, leaning in curiously.

Yankumi ran a hand through her dark silky hair, feeling as if her own hair was weighted by the events of the day. She mentally repeated her analysis of the situation, recalling how instinct had driven her straight home in order to figure out a solution. Interestingly, while running home, she hadn't fully decided on how they were going to help her. On the rooftop of Shirokin, she had said that she had had a plan. Now, she just needed a plan on how to execute that plan.

"Ojou?" Wakamatsu called, pulling Yankumi back into reality.

"Heh?" Then she glanced at each of the trio's faces and sighed deeply. "Minoru, Tetsu, I'm gonna need you both—" Yankumi peeked over her shoulders suspiciously, then pulled the collars of the two closer for the sake of being sneaky. "To get me more _stuff._"

Both sets of eyes widened then the two men willingly nodded.

Yankumi then reached into her purse and pulled out a written list. "This should be all of it and the quantity."

Minoru carefully picked up the list and the chubby man's complexion paled. "But, Ojou...why?"

Yankumi's lips thinned. "No time to explain right now. Both of you, please go before it's too late."

The two men nodded and with deep "_hai!_" they rushed away with the list.

Wakamatsu watched his companions leave then with a heavy gulp, slowly faced Yankumi.

Yankumi hadn't worried about Minoru, Tetsu and the supplies, but thinking of what she was about to ask Wakamatsu was going upsetting her already nervous stomach. It was taking all of her will but she silenced her nerves when she reminded herself that she was doing this for her students' friend. By getting involved, she'd be breaking the one single rule she had set for herself since becoming a teacher, which was to not mix the family business with school business.

It's necessary though, Yankumi consoled the small, protesting voice within her. She could get her questions answered by her own digging, but asking around required lots of time that wasn't available to Kumiko due to the plans she had finalized with Sawada, Kuma, Minami, Uchiyama and Noda.

One thing that her grandfather and her fellow henchmen solemnly promised Kumiko was that if she ever needed their assistance, they wouldn't hesitate in the least. There were always exceptional circumstances and Yankumi wouldn't be betraying herself as a teacher. If she let it go, she'd be disappointing her role as the teacher and protector of her students and the people they cared for.

Kumiko's attention focused on Wakamatsu with new resolve, though her field of vision hadn't moved. "Wakamatsu, as Second-in-Command, the job I have for you is the most important."

"Yes, Ojou." He answered seriously and willing to fulfill his contract with Kumiko.

"I'm not asking this lightly and you can't conduct yourself casually." Kumiko added.

"Yes, of course, Ojou. I will proceed with this task with seriousness and professionalism." Wakamatsu agreed wholeheartedly.

"I need to you go through Oedo's communication channels and find out whatever you can on _this_ person." Kumiko shut her eyes momentarily then rummaged through her open purse. Wakamatsu heard the scuffle of papers and saw Kumiko gently place a small photograph, faced down towards him.

The henchman flipped the front of the photo and cocked an eyebrow involuntarily.

_That uniform._

Wakamatsu recognized the style of photo from their student identification photos that were kept in their old school files. Dressed in a familiar black uniform, the student faced the camera with a neutral expression. However, the dark glints in his eyes actually sent shivers through the henchman's spine. "A Shirokin student? Ojou...I'm sorry, but I'm confused...what kind of things do you need on this kid that you wouldn't be able to find in his school files?"

Yankumi tipped her head down to avoid his baffled gaze, constructing a sentence that would explain her intentions. "I need you to search through your contacts and find out..." The teacher paused for a long second, gathering the right bravado. "I need you to figure out with who he is affiliated."

Wakamatsu bit back his questions and doubts and sincerely trusted the Ojou. It was definitely strange for her to ask for information about a minor, but Wakamatsu would follow her orders. Ojou wouldn't seek out their help without just cause. Maybe by figuring the kid out would help Wakamatsu and the rest of the Oedo house understand her concerns.

He flipped over the photo again and studied the student's hair, nose, ears, eyes, and jaw. "What is his name?"

Yankumi raised her chin, unable to sweep the confrontation in Headteacher's office from her mind. "Inoue, Haruki."

* * *

"I hate waiting!" Noda stretched dully in the cafe booth, trying to bring some life back into his sleeping arms and legs.

Uchi leaned back in his chair, trying for more leg room, chewing on a toothpick. "Is there any way for us to bust in there and get her ourselves?"

Shin glanced away in a motion close to rolling his eyes and answered the question for the fourth time that day. "We're minors, she's a minor. She'll be released to her parents soon enough." He muttered as he checked the time on his cellphone. It was nearing seven in the evening, yet the sun was shining outside like it was still midday.

Kuma scooped up the last of his chocolate-syrup covered, mixed ice cream parfait and patted his large belly as he finished the last spoonful. "I'm really full, guys. Any of you want anything?" The large boy picked up a menu and smiled at the pictures of delicious desserts.

Minami let out a low whistle while the other boys chuckled to pester their large friend. The rusty-colored haired boy didn't think he had heard Kuma utter those words more in all the time since he had befriended him. "We _have_ been waiting for a long time if Kuma claims to be full."

"And we didn't run outside when we saw those college girls from Waseda." Uchi added then hiked his brow if his own statement astounded him.

"When did we get so disciplined?" Kuma pondered thoughtfully with a pouted lip, his spoon still poised in his hand. The other boys blinked in a silent response, wondering how and why themselves.

"We were supposed to do Karaoke tonight too!" Noda sighed with disappointment, propping himself up by his palm. "There would have been lots of girl groups since it's the weekend."

"We might as well go at this rate." Minami muffled his suggestion, resting his arms in boredom behind his back.

The weary boys slightly nodded, their patience for doing nothing dwindling.

"How do we know that Dabina-chan will contact anyone after she is released? We might as well go and have some fun instead of sitting here. And then leave whenever we get the call." Uchi drummed his fingers on the tabletop, nudging Noda trying to gather support.

Shin replaced his cellphone back onto the table. "You guys go on then," he murmured to end their repining, drawing a surprised 'heh?' from his friends. "I'll start heading over to the Hardy Barracks to meet Yankumi, Davina should be back by sundown."

Shin's friends glanced over at each other, perplexed. They hadn't meant to sound whiny. Time was running horrendously slow from just waiting _and _Shin had shot down any and all suggestions of marching over to the station. What could they possibly do?

First Yankumi teaches them to fight for their friends even if the odds were against them. Then when they insist on challenging the police, Shin tells them to shut up and wait because they can't do anything. Again, what could they possibly do?

_Yes_, there was a plan, but that didn't mean that they couldn't do anything in the mean time?

Each of them remembered the dance bag sitting underneath the table by their feet in the group with their school bags. After Yankumi ran home and before they left the Shirokin roof, Shin disappeared for a while then returned with the dance bag tucked behind his shoulder.

"We're not going anywhere." Kuma declared, finally setting his spoon on top of a dirty plate, which made the statement of clarity and focus.

"There's a plan, after all." Minami added.

"St-ill-wa-iting, but it's alright." Uchi picked at his fingernails, but then he peered up, his lips rounded in the shape of an 'o'. "Oh, by the way, Shin." He glanced over both shoulders for the sake of privacy. The cafe was fairly packed with some students and workers who just ended their shifts. If someone wanted to hear, it was possible, but the boys saw no reason for suspicion. "How do you know that Dabina-chan will be released early?"

The others leaned in as well, having never considered asking that question before. Shin stretched out, tilting his empty glass to gather the condensation. He hadn't even gotten the chance to explain it to Yankumi before his friends had dropped in and by then they had been too distracted to remember.

If any of them read the newspapers or watched the news..._terribly unlikely..._then they would have already understood why Davina wouldn't have a single problem evading any and all charges. They would have known why people like her get discharged without punishment. How many times had foreign military personnel legitimately and seriously screwed up, only to escape virtually all consequences, maybe a slap on the wrist...?

The boys watched in confusion as Shin shook his thought as if to viciously dismiss a thought.

"I can't say for certain, but I believe that Davina will have immunity on the basis of her military parents."

The boys' pupils shrank to the size of pinheads as their hands unconsciously slammed on the tabletop. The occupants of the tables and booths surrounding them leered back in disapproval. "Rowdy delinquents!" A salary-man scornfully muttered to his friend, loud enough for the 3-D to all halt and glare viciously at the two men.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Got a problem, salary-_assholes_!" Uchi taunted in disdain, jumping to his feet with Kuma, Noda and Minami following his manner.

The two salary-men cringed in panic and mutually mumbled their suggestions to hightail it out of the cafe. Without even willing to risk putting on their business suit jackets, the two men rushed away with their briefcases and jackets in a pile in their arms.

Noda dramatically puffed up his collar when the men left. "Nearly lost my train of thought!

Uchi picked at his teeth with the tooth pick again, patting Kuma on the shoulder. "People are so rude these days.

"So, Dabina has diplomatic immunity?" Kuma recharged the subject.

Noda blinked in confusion. "Wait a minute. Isn't that a _good _thing?"

Minami scratched his cheek. "Yeah, come to think of it. She get's off scot-free. No harm, no foul?"

Uchi grumbled, smoothing his blond hair. He leaned carefully to avoid anyone else from eavesdropping. "How long from now until Inoue and Tsuchida find out? Inoue won't be too happy."

The boys groaned in agreement, immediately arriving at the same conclusion.

"They wouldn't go this far just so the case would get dropped." Minami added grimly.

"So, they're not going to be too happy when Dabina is released." Kuma glanced musingly to the ceiling, trying to piece the information together.

"So...what will Inoue do when Dabina breezes through the proceedings?" Uchi asked.

"That's one of the things that's disturbing." Shin uttered, his fringe falling over his eyes.

"What's the other?" Noda's brows raised.

"The fact that she might not get to explain what happened." Shin muttered so discreetly that when Kuma exclaimed from a "good idea," everyone's attention gravitated towards him.

"Guys, can't we just pummel Inoue so that he and Tsuchida back off?" Kuma cracked his knuckles aggressively, however, Uchi, Minami and Noda munched his their faces as if sensing a bad smell.

In unison, the boys slapped Kuma across the head. "That's not the plan!"

"Yankumi better call soon." Uchi stretched out on the table, toothpick still in his teeth.

"How does Yankumi expect to know when we should go?" Noda grunted.

Shin stifled a laugh but then noticed by their blank, confused faces. "Shinohara will be the one to tell her." He said, matter of a fact.

There was a deep intake of breath as they all agreed.

"That makes sense." Minami mumbled.

"You never did tell us, Shin..." Kuma began, gazing intensely at Shin. "What happened after you left 3-D?"

Their booth seemed detached from the rest of the cafe as their mood became keen and concentrated, different from their previous mental distractions from old karaoke plans and lack of flirting. They could slightly hear and feel the commotion nearby but the outside world was irrelevant.

"When I reached out for her, she ripped herself away. She had always trusted me before." Shin uttered. "She also lied to Yankumi and me about why she had hit Inoue and Tsuchida."

Minami, Noda, Kuma, and Uchi listened silently, all noticing Shin's subtle frustration about Davina lying to him.

"I shouldn't be surprised though." Shin muttered, humorlessly with a simper. He remembered as clear as day the first night he had met Davina. She hadn't immediately told her parents about the two men who had tried to hurt her and if Shin hadn't been there to witness and save her, he wouldn't have known either. So would Davina really trust him at all if he wasn't automatically involved?

The surrounding friends sat silently for the first time since they entered the cafe. They studied Shin's extra pensive behavior, realizing that he was no doubt bothered by Davina pulling herself away. If there was one thing that they knew their friend absolutely hated was being lied to, especially by someone he cared about and who he thought cared about him. "The question now is what will it take Davina to tell."

* * *

Davina wished she was a nail-biter. Nervous people bite their nails. People who didn't mind showing that they were nervous bit their nails. If a Loony Tune was nervous in cartoons, they bit through their nails in a well rehearsed motion like a type writer, zipping back and forth. The most Davina could do was lightly pick at the edge of some chipped nail polish.

The phone conversation with her mother had been surprisingly brief with the expected jump in her voice when she informed her that her daughter was at custody at the police station.

"_Davina! What the hell happened?" Esmée's voice crumbled in the speaker, causing Davina to gulp painfully. _

_The teenager felt her throat tighten as she tried to gather a response. "They said that you and dad need to come here to get me." Davina mumbled into the receiver, avoiding Shinohara's gaze._

_Though Davina spoke to her mother in French, the context of the situation bared all that Shinohara needed to know. _

"_Davina, how can I possibly get you if I'm in a board room full of national security officials?"_

_Davina harshly bit her lip, overwhelmed with the urge to tell her mother to forgot about getting her from the police if she were busy with French government or U.S. army officials._

Her mother's sigh paused Davina's train of thought.

"_I'll inform your father and we'll get you soon."_

Davina remembered handing the phone to Shinohara so that he could give Yasuo, the translator the address. From the moment the phone clicked the hung-up button, she wondered if she could visibly show her nervousness to Shinohara.

Why do both maman and dad have to come? Davina thought uneasily. Shinohara was explicit, if both parents were immediately available, both would have to be spoken with. Why couldn't she deal with this herself? In Japan, the adult age was twenty while in the U.S. and France it was eighteen. She was still only seventeen so there was zero possibility of hiding the situation from her parents.

Shinohara periodically made eye contact with her, his dark eyes showing glints of sympathy. Though he was the police officer, trained to deal with minors, he had yet to work with a case involving a minor and diplomatic immunity. Much to his embarrassment, he was not knowledgeable about diplomatic immunity, especially when it came to their family members. Her family's officials and his superiors would sort it out in due time surely.

He watched as the foreign teenager set a stray piece of her red hair to her ear while tipping her head down with an absent expression. Shinohara suddenly remembered one of his and Kawashigi's visits to _El Nuevo Encuentro_ with Kawashima, Fujiyama, and Yamaguchi. A tipsy Yamaguchi-sensei had remarked about a redhead teenage girl who tutored English for 3-D's midterm.

After gulping down a swig of strong sake, the grinning, flush-faced teacher prepared a toast for her students, slightly slurring that her students had exceeded Headteacher's expectations. After they cheered for 3-D's success and the security of Fujiyama's job, Yamaguchi had murmured to herself, so discreetly that Shinohara barely caught it. "They all studied to save the conscience of their classmate. Their new redhead friend tutored every single day on behalf on a person she had just met. The potential of their friendship still continues to exceed my expectations."

Fujiyama and Kawashima had mentioned early on that Yamaguchi placed too much needless hope on 3-D. The two teachers hadn't seemed to be mean, but they were expecting Yamaguchi to eventually suffer a serious reality check. Shinohara hadn't added to the discussion, knowing full well in his experience that minors of all classes, backgrounds, and schools (no matter how elite on paper) got into trouble.

The popular kids with the perfect grades who were popular with the teachers were the ones who tended to do the most horrible things, sometimes so gut wrenching Shinohara wouldn't speak of it after the case ended. The worst part was that because of their school's reputation or teacher's heedless praise, those were the ones who hardly got punished.

After meeting the suspects, once glance at their school transcripts, records and verbal praise from their teachers and classmates would make any spectator doubt their role in the crime. However, Shinohara learned early on that detective work meant dealing with accusations, witness statements, school transcripts, and evidence, and if the evidence was solid, any person, no matter how perfect they may seem, could do evil. It was always the ones you least suspected who were the ones to keep you up at night.

The young lady in front of Shinohara, who despite being sick earlier, appeared to be steady. She was picking at her nails to avoid his gaze, which wasn't surprising after the phone call to the parents. All kids displayed their shame in different ways. Some bawled until snot dripped from their nose to the chins. Others threw the table, phone and chairs against the white walls.

The young lady in front of Shinohara was definitely not one that he ever expected to be in trouble. Though it was his job to be objective in his pursuit in the case, Yamaguchi's undying insistence in not only believing her students, but her extension of that protection towards her students' friends affected Shinohara's judgment. Yamaguchi believed that Summons, Davina hadn't harmed a student without just cause and she believed Sawada when he accused Summons of lying about the reason.

The slightest bit within Shinohara considered that Yamaguchi's insistence is naïve. However, he also admired that Yamaguchi's sincere motivation in seeking the truth. Maybe she should have become a detective...

Shinohara's mind returned to the witness room, suddenly sensing that the room was far too quiet. He stood, casually tucking his hands into his suit pockets. "Would you prefer tea or water?"

Davina slowly lifted her head to face Shinohara. In a blank voice, filtered of all the emotion flaring within her, she responded with a slight bow at her waist, "tea, please."

Shinohara was impressed to hear her say 'onegaishimasu' with the bow. He scratched the back of his neck as he entered the noisy workroom, almost too loud for his quiet-adjusted ears. The police station is one place that anyone, foreign or Japanese, would never want to visit. He imagined that the young girl would eventually return to her country of origin, and when she did, he truly hoped that the situation hadn't soured her opinion on Japan.

* * *

A half hour waiting for her parents to arrive felt worse than the five minutes her parents spent scribbling the paperwork to get Davina released. Shinohara had insisted to the designated translator that Davina was not under arrest but the situation had occurred on a school she was not enrolled in, so she was taken to be released to her parents without causing any more trouble. Her parents, her father especially, as his brows were knitted, were less than thrilled.

Esmée hugged Davina tightly before they ushered her to the embassy car. Davina had quickly before she stepped into the dark car that there weren't any flags to signify diplomatic traffic immunity. She bit her tongue and didn't ask.

Davina avoided her father's razor sharp gaze as she stared blankly out of the tinted windows. She wasn't sure which emotion was dominant that the moment, shame or relief. She was absolutely certain, despite the calm manner Davina's parents conducted themselves at the station, that they were furious. Judging by how silent the car ride was so far, they were still too shocked to express their concerns or anger.

Her mother's lips were thin lines on her face while she rubbed her temples, like she always did when she suffered from a headache. Davina's father was staring at nothing yet his posture was tight. Unable to relax in the car, the man sat perfectly straight while he gripped his knees. The only sign of anger he displayed was the redness of his cheeks.

Davina sat straighter as the emotion welled within her. Though indistinguishable from shame or relief, it was almost overwhelming. She thought of crying but sobbing was not accepted. Her father had never said it like that, but he always praised solid, impenetrable composure. She hadn't gone crying to him for every little thing and wasn't about to start because of stupid Inoue or Tsuchida.

She gritted her teeth though her lips showed no signs of being upset. She didn't need to cry, she needed to dance. There was no doubt she wouldn't make her ballet lesson that night, but she could dance in her room. Regardless of how her parents would punish her, as long as she could dance, everything would be fine.

"Davina...what in the world happened?" Esmée asked Davina in English, glancing to her husband.

Davina gulped. Her mother _never_ spoke to her in English, even when she was mad. The only reason Davina could immediately think of was her father's lack of fluency in French. However, he knew enough to follow their conversation most of the time. Maybe her mother wanted to include her father in the talk and wanted to make sure that he understood every single word.

"I..." Davina's eyes couldn't help gravitate back and forth between her mother and father. "I hurt two students from Shin's school. I didn't mean for it to happen—

"What were you doing at Shin's school?" Esmée asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

Davina's voice slightly increased in pace. "_Mère_, school let us out early after finals. Regular Japanese schools just took their midterms so they have a regular schedule. We just wanted to hang out. Things just got out of hand."

Her father's knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip on his knees. "Did he put you up to it?"

Davina felt her voice raise. "No! I mean..." Her vigor immediately ceased and her chest pounded from surprise. The volume of her voice lowered again. "No, he didn't."

Esmée's mouth slide open slightly while Ken was breathing so heavily that both his wife and daughter could hear.

After a moment, the Sergeant's breathing calmed then he rubbed away the sweat from his hairline. "On the announcement of my promotion..."

Davina gasped quietly then pressed her hand to her mouth. "What do you mean?"

"Your father finally accepted the promotion to Sergeant Major." Her mother uttered, matter-of-a-fact.

Davina felt the shame and relief conform into guilt. She wasn't sure what to say at that point. Should she congratulate him or apologize for ruining his excitement? "They've been asking him for ages."

Esmée nodded then watched as her husband peered away, roughly ending the talk. The mother ran a hand through her dark hair and watched her daughter. Davina smoothed her skirt over her knees then gripped them tightly but her expression was stony, just like her father.

Esmée and Ken still had so many questions to delve into Davina. Though Davina did not see it, both Ken and Esmée weren't angry with their daughter as much as scared. Davina had never done such delinquent things in her life; she was a good kid, really. Everyone makes mistakes but what could have possibly driven Davina to hurt someone?

What really frightened Esmée and she was sure that Ken felt the same, was the question if this situation was an outlier or a sign of what was to come?

Esmée stared at Davina who was blankly watching the scenery go by. Davina had misunderstood the context of Esmée's first question. What in the world was happening to her only daughter?

* * *

After the small family arrived, Davina immediately left for her room and shut the door.

Esmée heaved a huge sigh and dropped herself on the couch. Ken sat in a chair, still hadn't uttered a word since the drive. Esmée rubbed her temples, unable to soothe the stubborn headache. "Well? So what do we do?"

"Ground her? Can you even remember if we have ever grounded her before?" Ken leaned into his chair, suddenly tired.

"That and how do we interpret this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is this just once or is she going to keep acting out? She might be deeply upset about something."

It was Ken's turn now to heavily sigh. "Why would she act out at this magnitude?"

"Anyone would if something of that magnitude upset them." Esmée considered. "Our daughter does not normally act like this."

"I'm the one who taught her how to hit a person." Ken said, thinking of how he had done so for her own good. "Those people she is now hanging with might be influencing her."

Esmée ignored the second half of his statement. "Could Davina be lashing out?" She continued when her husband looked at her with a confused face. "Davina might hate us for making her move when she was prepared to audition for S.A.B."

"Are we talking about that school again?" Ken groaned loudly. "She can dance in college."

"She might not want to though."

"Weren't we just talking about her getting into trouble with the police?" Ken cut through, changing the subject, his tone irritated. "Did you notice how she raised her voice at me?"

"It was for a second, calm down. You know she knows better than that."

Ken withdrew, wanting to believe in what Esmée said completely. However, he couldn't silence the part within him promising that the worst was yet to come. He had to help his daughter, but have no idea how. "Maybe...maybe she needs to get away for a while. Maybe we should spend some more time with her." He suggested openly to his wife.

Esmée nodded in agreement. "I can take off work for about two weeks soon. We can go to Nice and hopefully some rest and relaxation will screw her head straight."

Ken frowned. "With the promotion I don't think I can take off that quick. Maybe after you two return, Davina and me could plan something together." Ken leaned back and stared blankly at the ceiling. "Are we worried? I mean, of course we're worried now, but are we worried that this will happen again?"

Esmée peered back sorrowfully, rubbing her forehead. "I don't know...and that's the worst."

The two parents sat in silence, listening to the hum of the ceiling fan. Ken broke the ice and stood up casually. "I have to call Yasuo and the station. I forgot to ask that detective if they were still going to call her school after everything is sorted."

"I just hope we never have to go there again." Esmée muttered quietly, standing up finally to search for some painkillers for her headache.

* * *

Davina lay on her bed with the light off, noticing her room get bluer and bluer as the sun's light diminished thread by thread. She turned her neck to her alarm clock, squinting her eyes at the red glare. 19:15. Madame was probably finishing up the warmup and pairing them into groups. Her normal group would probably notice that she was missing.

Her stomach ached from hunger. Her arm graced soothingly over her abdomen. She was hungry yet couldn't bear to wander into the kitchen and surely run into her parents. Plus the weight of the day made her limbs difficult to lift; she had no will to move an inch.

Her eyes shut but reopened when she heard movement from the kitchen. Probably her mother preparing dinner, which meant Davina would probably have to eat with them. She dreaded the idea of being forced to come clean about the events.

Davina suddenly remembered, if she was missing a lesson then she would lose two hours of practice if she just sat on her bum for the whole evening. Screw that, she thought. She lifted herself out of bed then stepped carefully towards her bar. She exhaled in relief when she felt the solid wood beneath her palms.

Davina lifted her right leg to stretch. She pointed her toe then relaxed. Pointed her toe then relaxed. Pointed her toe then relaxed. She leaned her head towards her knee, feeling the familiar, but easy flexing between her muscles.

Jayla and Mira were both dancers and stretched regularly. She remembered a friend from Azerbaijan who tried to mimic Davina once and complained of hurt in her muscles and she was only half as limber as Davina. Davina understood, yet she couldn't vividly remember the pain from beginning to stretch for the first time.

She stood to the side of the bar, her left hand gently grasping the bar. She lifted her right leg to hip height then lifted further. She touched her ankle as she extended her arm gracefully. She lowered her leg and practiced the extension a few times.

She switched sides and practiced her left. Once upon a time, Davina's left leg was not as limber as her right. Now both were relatively equal but Davina and choreographers preferred the right foot to be leading.

Davina leaned back, following her fingers with her arm gracefully circled above her head. _Feel like you are unraveling a thread from your back to your head, _a dance teacher had once told her and since Davina always felt like a line of thread was being extended through her body whenever she stretched her back.

She straightened; the natural light glowing in her room was completely blue, casting tall shadows of the effects in her room. Davina set her arms to her side, noticing how her fingertips touched the hem of her skirt.

A graphic image of Tsuchida's hand slipping under the fabric of her skirt caused Davina to flinch harshly. She grabbed the hem of her skirt and stretched the fabric until it covered her knees. The vice like grip of Inoue's hands brought shivers down her spine, the skin of her arm suddenly felt sensitive to the loose cover of her jacket.

Davina slowly slipped to the wooden floor, hiding herself in the shadows. _This needs to stop. _Davina bit her lip. _I fought them away. I stopped them from doing something worse to me. I should be happy for fighting back, not sad. Why can't I dance?_

She remained like that for a long time, enveloped in the shadows as if for protection.

A familiar ring tone yanked Davina back to reality. Without expression, she saw the white cell phone light peeking through the cloth of her bed sheet. She glimpsed at the caller ID and sat down on her bed, smoothing her skirt over her knees.

"Hello, Shin." She could hear the loud sounds of busy traffic and wondered where he was.

"Hey, did you make it home?"

"Yeah," She lay back on her bed. "Once my parents arrived, everything was pretty quick."

"I figured." Shin uttered simply.

Davina scratched her head. "What do you mean—

A car horn burst through the phone speaker and cut through Davina's question and she was sure Shin hadn't heard it. "Yankumi, me and the others are outside."

Davina immediately sat up. "Oh? What for? My parents have me on lock down so I doubt they'll let me go outside to see you."

Shin shuffled audibly and then brought the phone back to his ear. "We have your dance bag. Try asking them if you can just pick it up."

Davina smoothed her hair. "I'll try, no promises."

"See you outside the gate then."

Davina hung up the phone then squeezed the edge of her bed, considering what she would say to her parents. _If I just ask mamon, she's more likely to say yes than dad. _Decided, she dropped the phone into her pocket then ran to the door.

The moment the door was ajar, Davina nearly fell back from surprise. Her father, with his hand posed to knock her door, stood an inch away from the door frame. His face flushed bright red.

"Oh, sorry dad." Davina mumbled, still smoothing her hair.

Ken's blinked a few times then relaxed again. Then he noticed the blush in her cheeks and how she patted down her hair. "What are you up to?" He asked casually.

Oops. How could she get out of this without opening the floodgate? She reached for the phone in her jacket. "My friends just called, they say that they have my dance bag downstairs. I was just going to ask if I could pick it up?"

Ken couldn't help but cock an eyebrow then it hit him: Davina + outside = automatic no. "Davina, the answer is no."

"Please, dad. I promise I'm just going to the gate and nothing else." Davina begged.

"Oh, let her go." Esmée added from the kitchen. "Those ballet shoes are still new anyway. I refuse to buy her new ones until those have some floor marks on them."

Ken receded, avoiding the urge he had learned from his wife and daughter to roll his eyes. "Al-right." He emphasized each syllable then raised his watch. "But be back in ten minutes."

Davina exhaled with relief, slipped on some flats then left the apartment. She circled around the corner then jogged down the stairs, too energized to wait for the pesky elevator.

She ran through the grounds, spotting people she hardly ever spoke to, yet knew by full name. She stopped at the gate exit and caught her breath. She nodded her head to the security man and stepped onto public pavement.

Once she turned around towards the street, she saw the group. "Yankumi," she slightly bowed her head to the teacher. Then she greeted the boys, "Kuma, Noda, Uchi, Minami."

Her attention finally rested upon the shaggy haired boy, with his trademark poker face and her dance bag tucked behind his shoulder. "Shin."

Davina zipped up her coat, finally chilly from the cool evening.

Kuma was the first to break the ice after formalities. "How was the slammer?" He asked curiously.

Yankumi slapped the top of his head condescendingly. "Don't call it the slammer like a thug! She only dealt with the fuzz." Then the teachers eyes widened then she murmured her uh-oh phrase, "yabai!"

The boys stepped away from the strange teacher, gawking at her. "Are you a thug or a teacher?" Noda quipped, causing Yankumi's cheeks to bulge from anger.

"They didn't cuff me if that's what you're asking Kuma." Davina answered, not offended by his question. "And no, I wasn't technically arrested. My parents got me from the station and that's it."

"Are your parents punishing you?" Minami asked direly.

"I'm grounded, can't go outside."

"But you are outside." Kuma said, matter of a fact.

"What happens now?" Yankumi asked.

"I go back Sunday and they'll fully drop the case."

The boys, except Shin, whooped in Davina's favor. "A reusable get-out-of-jail-free card. The best kind." Uchi grinned cheekily.

Davina verbally withheld her slight agitation as she crossed her arms. _I did NOT go to jail. _

"Even if you're grounded, will you still go to ballet tomorrow?" Shin asked.

Davina's agitation slipped away as she pondered the question. "I haven't convinced them yet, but I'm sure when I remind them that the lessons are already paid for, they'll consider my point."

"Sounds like a plan, we'll see you tomorrow." Noda said, giving an improper salute, which Davina did not point out.

"As part of the plan." Minami added surreptitiously.

Davina blinked dubiously at the two of them then met eyes with each of them. "What does that mean?"

The boys glanced away dully and disinterestedly. Yankumi noticed their demeanor and tried to replicate their coolness. The teacher knew that if Davina narrowed in on her and demanded that she spill about the plan, Yankumi would divulge everything.

However, Davina just simpered at their vagueness. The slowest person in the world would be able tell that they were hiding something. Davina was just too mentally exhausted to coax it out of them. "I'll try and see you tomorrow. I might try and schedule a double lesson in order to make up for missing today."

The boys grimaced, imagining if they had to do such a thing for missing school...

"It's a plan then." Davina played along, smiling genuinely. "See you tomorrow."

Kuma, Noda, Uchi and Minami smirked, quickly waved, then uttered their goodbyes. "See you tomorrow, Aka-chan."

The edges of Davina's lips were tugged up into a grin. She glanced over to Shin, but couldn't help but be distracted by Yankumi. The teacher approached the two teens with an eased expression. Seeing Davina was enough to comfort Yankumi's nerves. "You alright...Dabina-chan?"

Shin cocked a brow at the teacher, but Davina and Yankumi weren't paying attention. Davina heaved a huge sigh then answered, "I'm fine, really."

Judging by Shin's unmoved expression, he wasn't convinced.

Yankumi bit her lip; the most she could do is ask. Maybe Davina would open up to Shin...however, the teacher speculated, if Davina was anything like Shin, then she wouldn't share any details. However, the teen was distressed and Yankumi was willing to wait for a less eventful day to discuss it. "Get a good night's sleep for tomorrow. See you."

Davina bowed her neck respectfully, dismissing the teacher.

The teenage girl noticed the sly meeting of eyes between Yamaguchi-sensei and Shin as the teacher sauntered away. Davina and Shin were alone, poker face met stony face.

"Are you really okay?" Shin asked stepping forward, almost reaching out for her.

Davina sighed tiredly again, moving a stray piece of hair to her ear and unconsciously stepped back. "I will be. Like Yankumi said, I just need to relax for tomorrow."

Shin noticed her withdrawal and Davina saw something within Shin change. He gazed at her profoundly and stepped forward again. Davina darted her eyes away, unable to stop herself from inching away. "I need to go..." Davina bit her lip, somehow until to finish her thought and excuse herself because her parents were expecting her. Had she really meant it like that?

Yes, Davina's father worked like clock work but if she was honest with herself she could have a full minute with Shin. She was actually fleeing from him...

"Yours," Shin extended his arm with his hand holding her dance bag.

The gesture was cold and simple, unlike the subtle Shin she knew. Though, Davina grudgingly admitted to herself that she probably deserved it, as she grasped her bag straps and the weight transferred from Shin to Davina.

"See you," was Shin's final word of farewell for the evening.

Davina swayed in her place, squeezing her bag straps to suppress her disappointment. She reached into her bag and pulled out her military ID for the officer and adverted her head away from concerned stares.

"Well?" Noda piped up when Shin made his way to the curb with the rest of them.

"How was it?" Minami chimed in.

"Did she admit anything?" Uchi added, optimistically.

Yankumi saw the slight irritation in Sawada's features and sighed. "She didn't say a thing, did she?"

"She's very secretive. More so than I thought." Shin confessed. "If I didn't believe she was lying, I probably wouldn't think anything of it."

"Aren't you secretive too, Shin?" Kuma asked with surprising relevance.

Shin fought the urge to smile at his blond friend who was more observant than he gave him credit for.

"No changes to the plan for now." Yankumi declared, drifting the attention away from Kuma's question. "Meet here at noon tomorrow." She checked her watch for good measure.

"Would Shinjuku be better? In case things get hectic before..." Noda suggested, uneasily.

Yankumi understood his concerns, but quickly dismissed them. "Not in broad daylight and in one of the busiest parts in Tokyo. Even if she is followed from Shinjuku, they won't come here to an Army ground."

The teenage boys didn't question their teacher's logic, though there was a tiny whirl in their guts, curious as to why she was so sure.

The unlikely group strolled down the street towards the nearest train station. The aggressive anticipation Shin's friends had experience through out the day lulled down from the anticlimactic meeting with Davina. All of them had voiced their warnings to their would-be agitators but as the events of the plan loomed closer, their bravado was disappearing. If the rumors were even slightly true than handling their threat was bigger than their group or all of 3-D. Could they handle themselves? Would their families be harmed? They would show that Saturday for certain, but only because they trusted one another. If they were to deal with the threat in full bloom, they wouldn't be alone.

* * *

Phew, there goes another chapter. I feel like this one could have been much shorter, but shrug. I am really excited to write the next one, which will include more interaction between Davina and Kuma, Minami, Noda and Uchi. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and please don't hesitate to tell me what you think :)


	19. Chapter 19: First Rule of the Plan

I think I can I think I can…yes! I can finish this chapter! :) Who would have thought the final year of university could be so time consuming ( more like everything consuming...) Not gonna lie, more of the fun happens in the second half of the chapter, now aka chapter 20, but I think this one finished up quite well. Thanks to all those who have reviewed since my last chapter! :) Sounds cliche, but they keep me going and are sometimes a good kick in the butt to get back to work.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Nineteen

* * *

Tetsu's dark shades reflected the bright glare of the sun when he gazed down the busy shopping district. Lifelong instincts and conditioning deterred him from venturing along _Takeshitadori_ in Harajuku on a sunny Saturday, unless absolutely, positively, the-world-will-end-otherwise, necessary. Or if Ojou asked him to go for an errand.

An absent-minded _trendy_ teenager bumped into Tetsu and rudely disrupted his train of thought. The henchman growled at the teenager who frantically scurried away. Tetsu read the list again for reassurance and to sate his anxiousness.

Ojou needed them to get every single item on that little list. He checked his watch. It was 11 in the morning so they had only four more hours before the time she had asked for them to be done.

"Aniki...Aniki!"

Tetsu turned around and saw Minoru's chubby face, shiny with sweat, poking through the velvety curtain.

"You find anything?" Tetsu asked seriously.

Minoru gulped then lifted the clothes' hanger. "What do you think of this?"

It was a tacky shirt, riddled with gaudy design with an asymmetrical waist and torn sleeves. Tetsu blinked at the shirt, taking in the details then smiled. "It's perfect."

* * *

_Twitch, twitch._

Davina rolled back her shoulders then bent her neck side to side. Her body felt incredibly stiff during her early and noticeably irregular ballet lesson. Madame had discerned her unusual flow and rightfully scolded Davina for it.

The teenager tossed her dirty ballet shoes into her bag then ran a brush through her red tresses. She swept her bangs to her temple and pinned them; they were getting a bit too long. She checked her long sleeved, sea green blouse and her fitted blue jeans. Her sleeves reached her wrist bones, her top covered her torso to her hips and the only things that couldn't be hidden by her jeans were her feet.

A short haired girl slowly approached Davina along the lockers. "Hey, Dabina-chan."

"Hi, Ami-chan." Davina croaked, rolling her tight shoulders again.

Ami had noticed Davina's absence from their previous ballet session and her obvious strain and discomfort during their latest practice. Maybe she had an injury…or maybe she had been ill? Ami pondered.

Davina tossed her long-sleeved leotard into her dance bag and picked up her flat shoes. Ami recognized the bundled leotard and remembered thinking that it was strange for Davina to wear it in the warm studio.

Davina pointed her toes, vying for some flexibility before wearing her shoes. Her muscles and joints cramped uncomfortably. She sighed, despondently.

"Is everything alright?" Ami asked due to Davina's sigh, but to question why Davina appeared so off during their practice.

Zipping up her bag, Davina answered. "I must have slept weird last night."

Ami nodded, sensing no need to doubt her. "So, is Sawada coming today?" She smiled, hoping to see Davina stir happily.

Davina bit her lip as her expression sulked. "Probably not today."

Ami saw a wave of unhappiness sweep across Davina's features and realized she had mentioned the wrong subject. She thought of pursing the subject to comfort Davina but decided otherwise. "Kumai-kun...are he and his friends doing alright?"

Davina smirked but glanced away, pretending to be preoccupied with the mirror. "I saw him and the others yesterday. _Kuma-kun_ is alright."

The tops of Ami's cheeks flushed.

"Ami-chan?"

Ami turned around and saw her group of friends gathering at the exit.

"Shall we go?" Erin asked.

Davina and Ami crossed paths again while Ami set her bag strap to her shoulder.

"Chat with you next week?"

Ami bowed her head slightly. "_Ja ne, _see you."

Despite her physical discomfort, Davina smiled while tossing her flat shoes on the floor to wear. She excitedly wondered if she dared to tease Kuma and the others that Murosaki was asking about him. Her smile soured again as her uncharacteristic withdrawal from Shin replayed in her mind. Seeing Kuma meant seeing Shin. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him but part of her, deep down, knew she would have to explain herself eventually. She wasn't sure if she was ready to do that, which meant that she wasn't ready to see Shin.

Davina wasn't even really sure about why she wanted to pull away.

* * *

"Lunch today with me and Jay?" Davina read Mira's she climbed the steps of the Minato train station. She longingly stared at her phone's screen while she waited for a bus at the bus stop. Despite the weather being absolute perfection for early summer, Davina could not be bothered to walk all the way home for once. She yawned and checked the bus schedule. Apparently the one she needed arrived every six minutes.

_No, _she told herself. _Taking the bus hasn't anything to do with not seeing Shin._

Lunch with Jayla and Mira sounded wonderful and a slice of normality that Davina craved. However, Yankumi and the others had vaguely revealed a plan for the day, one that apparently involved Davina yet no one was courteous enough to explain her role in it.

As far as she knew...

Like clockwork, her bus arrived and Davina quickly queued for it behind a young professional with dyed light brown hair. Most of the seats were taken and she couldn't be bothered to ask someone in Japanese if she could move her purse or if he could move his sports bag so that Davina could sit. They all sulked close to the windows, avoiding her gaze.

As far as she knew... Davina was just expected to show up and deal with it. Why was that? Was it because she was a foreigner who needed everything set out for her? Did they not believe that she was strong enough to handle it?

She tightly held a sling and messaged Mira with: _I__ really wish I could, but I have to meet up with Shin and his friends today. _

Davina frowned at her message. She had avoided saying 'Shin and the others', which would have made it sound like she didn't want to see him or them. Davina had yet to tell Mira and Jayla an ounce of what happened. It would be hard to say what Davina would have told them, if anything, over what was supposed to be a relaxed lunch and shopping.

Come to think of it...wasn't she grounded anyway?

Davina pressed the stop button and braced herself when the bus halted at a designated stop. She pressed 'send' on her phone as she jumped off the bus. She strolled to the cross walk to switch roads, further up the hill would be the Hardy Barracks.

She yawned as she climbed up the hill. If her meeting with Shin and the others was quick, maybe she could invite Mira and Jayla over so that they could talk? She yawned again...or maybe she could take a nap since she hadn't slept well and somehow correct her muscle soreness from sleeping oddly.

Davina checked her phone's clock while fishing for her wallet in her bag. Her make-up class in lieu of her miss yesterday would be at seven that night. She had plenty of time to catch some _zzz _if necessary.

Right when Davina calculated the hours between the present and her lesson, someone abruptly snatched her phone. Davina closed her empty outstretched hand and frantically looked up and saw four rough-looking teenagers who bared cheeky smiles.

She rolled her eyes and pathetically reached for her phone.

The short-haired brown-haired boy held it high over his head then twisted his arm behind his back and tossed it to the blond. He fumbled with the phone and nosily slipped into her contacts.

"Does Dabina-chan know anybody interesting?" The rusty haired boy smirked at Davina then gazed over her phone screen.

"Any girls?" Noda asked, his book bag hanging casually at his knees.

Uchi grinned excitedly. "At least one...by the name of Murosaki, Ami."

Kuma's plump cheeks flushed with color when Minami nudged him. Kuma made a grab for the mobile phone when he saw their matching crafty grins. "Wait! Don't call her!"

Davina finally intervened and swiftly stole back her phone. "We are not going to call her." She shoved the phone securely to the bottom of her bag. "Kuma should call her. She asked about you today." She smiled as the boys whooped in excitement.

The boys jumped Kuma shamelessly, hollering about their plans to hook him up with Murosaki.

"I'm gonna help ya find new clothes." Noda waved his arm around his torso in admiration of his own outfit.

Uchi smoothed his hair and cupped his chin in a sexy manner. "I'm gonna teach you the art of romance."

Minami shoved Uchi aside. "You must have gotten bleach in your brain when dying your roots." He wrapped an arm around Kuma to whisper. "_I'll _teach you how to woo this girl."

Uchi viciously grabbed Minami's collar. "Got something to say about my hair?"

Minami grabbed Uchi's collar in spite "Nope! Just your poor dating skills!"

Davina watched, in amusement, as Noda shoved himself into the mix. "Neither of your services will be needed! I am the only one who has the ability to guide Kuma the way to better fashion _and better courting_."

Uchi and Minami snorted loudly in laughter.

"Which is why you've got Shizuka prowling at your feet, right?" Minami exclaimed sarcastically.

"You leave her out of this!" Noda yelled back with intimidating wide eyes.

"Wait, who said that I can't woo a girl?" Kuma roared at his friends with anger flaring in the whites of his eyes.

"Boys! _Yamero_! _I said, _knock _it off_!" Davina exclaimed when she spotted the gun-armed guards at the gate shifting nervously. The boys froze in their aggressive positions: Kuma with a fist cocked back, aimed for Noda, Uchi and Minami holding each other, only balanced by their collars. Their attention gravitated towards the redhead as if amazed she had managed to speak such vicious Japanese.

They even spotted the guards eye Davina in concerned, unsure if they understand or not.

"Keep this up and you'll get us all in trouble." Davina suddenly giggled with a hand over her mouth at their vacant expressions.

Davina hadn't realized that she had shouted at them in the severe yet random outburst-like manner and tone as their dorky teacher. She even used _yamero _with amazing vigor with a scary yet innocent roll of the R. The boys thought that Davina must have absorbed the phrase from their tutoring or that her new hobby involved watching old fashioned yakuza flicks...

Davina circled around the cluster of boys and began strolling up to the gate entrance so that the well-armed guards would recognize her. She stopped short when she suddenly met eyes with Shin, who was sitting with Yankumi on the curb by the gate. His dark eyes gazed at her in a way that told her that he had been watching for a while.

That meant that Shin saw her mirthful smile break into a stiff frown when she noticed him. Yankumi clearly saw the drastic change in Davina and knew that while Davina knew the teacher was there, she hadn't acknowledged her yet.

Yankumi stood and casually approached Davina to break the ice. "How was your lesson, Dabina-chan? Did you try your best?"

Davina forced a smile at the teacher. "It went well." The answer came out before Davina realized it was a lie. She shifted her tight shoulder uncomfortably, pretending to be adjusting her bag.

Shin stood, shrugging his hands into his trouser pockets. "How was your night?"

Davina fixed a spray piece of hair was the blown in the wind. "It was okay." That was less of a lie but still far from the truth.

Minami, Uchi, Noda and Kuma inevitably joined them; their collars bunched up and wrinkled from their playful aggression.

They all stood in silence for a moment, enjoying the wind scurrying in the trees and the urban noise down the hill. Davina saw the gate entrance, figuring the natural flow of their conversation.

"Would you all like to come in?"

* * *

Though there were three guards securing the base entrance, everyone except Davina, dealt with the guard who appeared to be the most fluent Japanese speaker. Shin, who was the most familiar with the visitor process, went first while the others watched in awe of how coolly he answered their questions.

"Shin is quite capable." Uchi stated, earning an agreeing nod from his peers.

One of the guards claimed that Davina couldn't supervise all of her minor visitors. However, Yankumi stepped in and declared that she was their mature, older, _but not that much older,_ wiser high school teacher. The guard dismissed the motion while the boys rolled their eyes.

Once past the formalities, Yankumi, Noda, Uchi, Kuma, and Minami gazed up at the homely white building that was the Hardy Barracks. They couldn't help but think of those American army films with high tech facilities (like from Mission Impossible) and couldn't picture such a welcoming building as an army base. They soon heard the distant chant of sergeants training recruits. They all saw the American flag swaying gracefully on a pole and instantly felt foreign.

Davina listened to the chorus of the chant and sighed when she recognized the voice. Their instructor was Sergeant Cobb, which meant that her father was dealing with paperwork, probably dealing with his promotion. Her gut twisted with guilt and she avoided Shin's gaze since he was the sole person who wasn't rambling in awe of the base.

"Konnichiwa." Davina shyly greeted the three receptionists upon entering the building space.

They kindly bowed their heads at her visitors, drawing respectful bows from the boys who appeared as hoodlums. Yankumi and the others, except Shin, lifted their heads in unison to take in decorative design on the ceiling and walls. The sunlight speckled in the crystal chandeliers, twisting the white light into various colors. Once realizing how soft the floor felt against their sneakers, they nearly jumped out of their shoes. They peered up with red faces at Davina who was making her way down the lobby and Shin. The shaggy haired boy glanced back at them with a shrug as if to say, _as if I would know, don't ask me._

Seriously, Yankumi and the others thought, why would Americans walk with their shoes _inside_? _So strange...especially on top of such beautiful carpeting..._

_The American flag… _They were the foreigners on strange grounds, on Davina's turf, on American turf. Maybe the feeling they sensed was what Davina felt all the time. In that case, what did she think was strange about them?

By the time Yankumi and the others would bury their subconscious about ignoring _uwabaki_, Davina was already stepping into an elevator with Shin. Another Japanese person stepped on with them, pressing number 7.

The boys chipped happily about their theories of the base. Again the private movie theatre, Davina playfully rolled her eyes and was caught by the Japanese worker. He softly smiled at her and held back a laugh when Kuma mentioned the all-you-can-eat buffet.

The elevator door opened at the fourth floor and they rushed out, expecting the door to clamp shut immediately. However, Davina slowly strolled out and the doors slowly shut.

Minami scratched his head. Did American elevators move slower and less forcefully than Japanese elevators?

They circled around the hall and veered down until they saw a door number 404.

Yankumi's lips the fourth floor and four, zero, four...what a disastrous combination of bad-luck numbers? Yankumi stared at the young girl fumbling with her keys to open the door and shook her head to ignore her superstitions.

Remembering Shin's confusion with shoes from the last time he was over, Davina slipped off her shoes. She normally wouldn't but for the sake of a familiar example, she set her shoes by the door. The others happily complied.

She sighed heavily, glimpsing over her flat, breathing in the homely air. She instantly felt relaxed and tired despite the presence of her guests.

Yankumi and the others searched every corner of the flat with their eyes. It was very clean and seemed large despite its apartment size. The living room was carpeted while the kitchen was floored with deep mahogany wood. There were no sliding doors or tatami floors. The living room was furnished with furniture with intricate designs so beautiful, they couldn't imagine sitting on it.

They glanced over at the bookshelf and could only manage to translate pockets of words here and there. Some titles weren't even in English or in the Roman alphabet! They instantly spotted the Japanese study books. Kuma reached over for one and randomly picked a page. The others peered over and hiked their brows at the archaic phrases. Did they seriously teach Japanese like this? No oneand they meant _no one _spoke like that anymore...

Kuma replaced the book on the shelf and returned to silently staring at the living Western styled room. It was like the American homes they saw in films; they all grinned to themselves. It looked different…it even smelled differently.

"Anyone hungry?" Davina asked. She definitely was hungry and would make something for herself.

"Do you have any Western food?" Kuma asked delightfully, rubbing his belly.

Davina hummed thoughtfully_. Come to think of it...they didn't even eat Japanese food in the house let alone stock any._ "I'll think of something. And please, sit down." Davina replied before disappearing into the kitchen.

Shin sat down simply, acting as a model for the others. They all gingerly sat, not wishing to mar the perfect shape of the couch with their weight. Yankumi sat at the coffee table so that her students could sit together.

"Very nice, it's like out of a film or magazine." Noda mused, turning his head and shaping his hands like a camera as if to photograph the designs in his mind.

"This is where you had your date, huh, Shin?" Uchi nudged his friend.

Shin merely swept his long hair away from his brow and peered by the table, where Davina cut her hand on broken glass during their date. He remembered she was so close he could smell her wavy hair. Davina had been a little nervous around him then but thankfully, she was warming up to him and vice versa. On that day, when she cut her hand, she willingly allowed Shin near her. However, just yesterday, Davina had ripped herself away, meaning that instead of progressing towards each other, she had lost her trust for him.

Davina entered the living room with a tray. She set it on the coffee table, catching curious stares. However, she missed the agitated glint in Shin's eyes.

If Davina had lost her trust for him, they were nothing more than strangers.

Kuma flared his nostrils. "What is that?"

"Brie and bread." Davina uttered simply.

"But..._what _is it?" Kuma asked again, pointing a finger at white triangle, almost scared to touch it. The crust appeared dry and chalky while the inside layer looked smooth and creamy.

"Brie is..." Davina bit her lip then she said aloud in English. "What's the word in Japanese?"

"Cheese." Shin said for her in Japanese. Davina acknowledged Shin but nervously peered away, pretending to be occupied with distributing the cheese and bread.

Everyone else 'oh'ed but continued to stare curiously.

"It looks a little strange." Yankumi whispered, tilting her head.

Kuma reached for a slice of cheese. He checked every angle of the slice, amazed by the hard crust's texture instead of the soft cheese he normally ate.

"What's that crust stuff?" Minami and the others reached for a slice and took a bite.

"What is it called...?" Davina crossed her arms, munching her expression in thought.

Shin intervened again. "Mold." He uttered mercilessly, causing his friends to slowly pan to him as if asking if he were serious. Despite Shin reaching for a slice, his friend's faces turned green.

Davina sat down next to Yankumi, hearing the heavy gulps of the boys.

_Mold? Mold? _The boys' stomachs whirled in protest.

"It's French cheese, one of my favorites." The girl fought the urge to laugh at their deadpanned faces. "It's OK. The mold is safe to eat. I think it's the best part."

Kuma opted to bite through the crust and enjoy the creamy cheese in the middle. He bravely ate the entire slice, crust and all. He chewed for a while thoughtfully then swallowed. "That _is_good." He grinned, reaching for more Brie and bread.

Uchi, Noda and Minami politely finished their slices but insisted that Davina and Kuma finish the rest. Yankumi squeezed hers around a thick slice of bread both to eat the cheese and to balance out the foreign taste with something familiar.

Yankumi chewed and checked each of her students and Davina. No police, no shouting of the _bad kind_. The teacher almost couldn't believe that it wasn't even twenty-four hours since Shinohara escorted Davina to the police precinct.

Davina, though she seemed happy enough, couldn't have forgotten. She had gotten sick the prior day but today she seemed healthy enough.

"Dabina-chan?" Noda raised his hand. He lowered it, smiling when Davina peered up, chewing on bread. "Do you normally practice on Saturday?"

She nodded, swallowing her bread before verbally replying. "I practice every day but I go to the studio Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday."

Yankumi and the others incredulously gaped at her schedule.

"You went already today and you're going again later?" Minami asked in amazement.

Davina nodded. "I missed yesterday"—Shin heard the twinge of sadness in her tone—"same with school, if I had missed school, I have to make up my lesson."

The boys grimaced loudly. Under those circumstances, they wouldn't make up school... If Davina wasn't just Shin's friend, they would tease her ruthlessly.

Yankumi frowned at their groans. "I think it is admirable that Dabina-chan works so diligently. If you find something that you care about, it's very easy to spend a lot of time working for it. That's why she can dance so well."

The boys scratched their heads, leaning away to avoid Yankumi's proud grin. _Leave it to Yankumi to make a casual visit into a lecture about life and hard work._

"It's hard to believe we're still in Japan." Kuma mused, peering up at the Western styled home.

Davina followed their interested gazes. Despite experience on several continents, American army homes were very Western. Davina had never thought of it. She had seen Jayla and Mira's families accommodations and realized that they were characteristically Japanese: sliding doors, low ceilings, tatami flooring, etc. One of her friends back in Azerbaijan had grumbled about feeling like an indecisive transplant, conducting business in a Middle Eastern city but then coming home to American styled living—tv, food, music, movies, books, news, etc.

Davina flexed her toes against the soft carpet, trying to mentally blend images of her American home and the Japanese block outside of the Hardy Barracks gate. Davina realized how unique her style of living was compared to Americans or French kids who lived in the same place their entire lives. Yet, Davina never thought about being a transplant, until the friend from Azerbaijan put the idea in her head.

The redhead deeply yawned and Yankumi twitched.

The teacher checked her watch. "Ah, I need to go meet up with my henchmen"—Yankumi's eyes widened before the boys could react—"err, I mean, I need to meet up with my _housekeepers. _They want to discuss toilet paper." She twitched uncomfortably at the final noun and the boys exchanged matching expressions of confusion.

Shin subtly shook his head in disblief but withheld a verbal response as his friends murmured amongst each other.

"_Strange._" They mutually agreed.

Yankumi loudly cleared her throat then forced a grin. "Students, please thank Dabina-chan for the bread and mold. We can't overstay our welcome and Dabina-chan might need to rest before her second lesson. She also has exams this coming school week that she might want to study for."

Davina cringed from a sudden headache. Why in the _world_ would Yankumi think it was a good idea to mention exams? "None of you have to leave because of me, really." She reassured them, suppressing the urge to let them leave so she could take a nice nap.

Shin piped up. "I'll stay for a moment."

Minami, Uchi, Noda and Kuma sat up, despite their comfort. Frankly, they weren't expecting to leave so soon but Yankumi and Shin had already decided so conveniently for them.

Uchi sighed, stretching once standing. "Leaving so soon? Really?"

"I guess we'll leave with Yankumi." Minami declared, apathetically.

Yankumi was about to nod when an idea struck her. Her face munched up thoughtfully. "Wait a moment...is leaving two teenagers alone together in an empty home alright for me to do as their high school teacher? As their guide in life, it is up to me to make the responsible decision." She murmured under her breath.

Noda rolled his eyes dramatically and wore his arm through his bag strap. "It's very hard to believe that you're only six years older than us, Yankumi."

"I totally forgot that she's twenty-three!" Kuma cried, gaping and pointing at the young woman's face.

Yankumi's eyes became tiny dots in her lenses. "What's that supposed to mean?" She exclaimed.

"That you can really act like an old lady sometimes_. Obaa-chan_" Uchi elbowed the teacher, drifting past her towards the door.

Yankumi's cheeks puffed up in frustration (he had just called her OH-BAA-chan!) but she exhaled to utter a composed answer. "As your homeroom teacher, it is my persistent duty to show you—

"They'll be _fine._" Minami chimed in, shoving his feet into his shoes.

"Thank you for the bread and Brie-mold, Dabina-chan." Kuma smiled sincerely with a slight bow of his head.

The other boys quickly bowed their heads to share their mutual thanks.

"You're welcome." Davina uttered but was mostly drowned out by Yankumi's shrilly protests and Uchi, Noda, Kuma and Minami's resistance. She didn't try to repeat herself, knowing it was futile over their raising voices.

"But as Sawada's homeroom teacher, I must supervise—

"He said it will only be for a moment. I promise if Shin is longer than a moment, we'll march right back here and drag him out." Uchi ridiculously swore, lying through his teeth.

"See you later tonight, Dabina-chan." Noda waved to Davina, but was harshly slapped on the back by Minami.

"Idiot! You broke the first rule of the plan!" The rusty haired boy chided.

Noda furiously scratched the back of his neck then refashioned his innocent farewell. "_Maybe_ we'll see you later, Dabina-chan."

The door was opened by Kuma and in a strategic, yet sloppy manner; the boys led Yankumi into the hall, bidding their last farewells for the afternoon.

"But wait!" Davina heard Yankumi protest just as the door shut, silencing the noise. Davina stared at the empty door way, amazed that just a second prior, five spirited people were occupying the space. Before Davina could turn her head back to Shin, she heard him stand and listened as his footsteps trailed to the bathroom.

Hastily, Davina busied herself by putting away the food and setting her dance bag in her bedroom. She lightly dropped the bag by her door and sat on the edge of her bed. She stretched her foot out, rolling her ankle. She grumbled at the soft popping in her ankles and arches.

Stiffness was associated with injury but she hadn't injured herself—not that she knew of. Davina pointed and relaxed her feet in equal intervals. Her stiffness began the previous day and Davina figured that with a bit of rest, she'd be back in top shape.

_Rest..._ Speaking of that...

A gentle knock diverted Davina's attention to her bedroom door. Shin strolled in casually, hands tucked in pockets. He glimpsed over her room, as if refreshing his memories. Davina scrolled down the sleeves of her top, making perfectly sure that her wrist bones were covered.

Davina hesitantly inched over on her bed to allow space for Shin. Mindful of the single bed's size, Davina sat herself as small as possible near the edge with her hands clenching her bed covers.

Shin simply sat, slightly nerved by how Davina spared so much space between her and him. At last minute, Shin moved over, not next to Davina, but closer to her. Both Shin and Davina noticed how she fidgeted slightly. She shut her eyes momentarily, and continued to roll her ankles and arches.

Shin drew in a breath. "How was your night?"

Davina bit her lip. Shin knew he already asked the question, but perhaps in privacy, Davina could answer more honestly.

Shin watched Davina as her expression munched up in slight frustration as her bones popped uncomfortably. "My parents are furious and scared. We're returning to the station on Sunday to have everything dismissed. The _accusers _will be there but I won't have to face them. Then everything will return back to normal."

Shin fumbled with his silver thumb ring. He realized that Davina's connections would grant her ease with the proceedings, however something deep down was unsettling about how non-confrontational she seemed. Even if she didn't need to prove her innocence, didn't she feel the urge to prove it to everyone and anyone with doubts? Particularly to those who cared?

Silence fell between them and Davina urged to say something.

"Please ignore my lack of enthusiasm. It's not you." She bit her lip nervously and sighed. "I'm just so tired." She ran her hands through her hair, holding a bunch at her crown.

"I can go if you wish." Shin tipped his head and stretched his legs to stand.

Before Davina could gather the Japanese words to halt Shin, she reached for his wrist for emphasis "It's _not_ you." She said in English. She bit her lip but continued in English. "Don't think I don't trust you."

She faced him and stared into his brown eyes, truly for the first time since he met her at the station before they arrived at Shirokin the prior day. It was his poker face yet by now, Davina knew that his poker face was hardly bare of emotion. Judging by his narrowed eyes, straight brows and tight lips, Shin was frustrated with her.

Davina sighed again tiredly; it seemed like everyone except for Jayla and Mira were frustrated with her. Then again, those two hadn't heard the news yet... The redhead leaned her head onto Shin's shoulder. He slowly moved his wrist from her grasp, to interlace his fingers with hers. She inhaled his familiar scent and relaxed.

Shin was not anything like Tsuchida and Inoue so why was she punishing him and pushing him away?

"Have you told anyone yet?" Shin sighed, gently tightening the grip on her hand.

Davina shook her head against his shoulder. "Nobody yet." She yawned from prolonged fatigue then moved to lie on her bed. Her grip on Shin's hand didn't loosen so he cautiously stretched out next to her, careful to keep a few inches of space between them despite the small bed. Davina pressed her head on her pillow and immediately shut her eyes while Shin fixed his position to face her. Her final adjustment was fixing her sleeves before she fully relaxed and rested.

Shin listened to the hum of her breathing gently slow in pace then flow into a pattern. Her expression softened and Shin knew she was asleep.

Shin carefully released her hand to move a piece of hair from her face. Gazing at her now, Shin thought how strange of a creature she was. Unlike her dark-haired, dark-eyed, light-skinned Kanto counterparts, redheaded, pink-skinned Davina had green eyes that he currently couldn't see under her sleeping lids. Yet he could imagine their hue, glinting brightly with her smile. Her body was fuller yet not stocky. She was small but judging by Davina's ballerina strength; she could probably lift up Kuma.

Despite their physical closeness, they were very detached. However, just the day prior, when she met him after lunch, things were fine. The boundaries were there, but really not that much.

The teenager felt his own eyelids droop from a sudden wave of sleepiness from the quiet room and Davina's soft breathing. He inched closer to Davina and gave in to sleep.

The sun's position had changed when Shin awakened awhile later. The light washed Davina's room in orange and the shadows moved and stretched across the walls. He gazed down and noticed Davina had snuggled closer. As if on cue, Davina's eyes opened and her lips curved softly.

Their expressions were still drowsy yet they stared at each other, both amazed at the distance caused by one day.

Despite their earlier tension, Shin's fingers trailed through her hair and down her cheek. Davina's lips parted and Shin leaned over her. The kiss they shared was soft and simple like taking a breath. Though lying together for the first time, the moment was special for the regained closeness between them.

"Just one more day and we can put it all behind us." Davina murmured in English, yet she knew Shin understood.

Without reluctance, Shin wrapped his arms around Davina. His forearm graced along Davina's sleeve and Shin noticed an uncomfortable twitch on her face. She quickly moved her arm around to drape it on his shoulder.

"Do you need me there tomorrow?" Shin asked and Davina's eyes widened slightly.

"You can come, but I think it will be mostly procedure and bureaucratic stuff. Should be in and out." She answered, taken by surprise by the question. "No big deal." She smiled yet it didn't reach her eyes, Shin noted.

Davina fingered his hair gently and her fingertips traced circles on his neck. They wandered to his collar and he visibly flinched. Ticklish, huh? Davina snickered then playfully tickled his neck. In reaction, Shin poked her waist, also causing Davina to squirm away. He grabbed her arm to stop Davina but despite his light grip on her forearm, Davina grunted sharply.

Shin's brows furrowed, perplexed. Davina's cheeks were flushing red, not from embarrassment, but as if guilty, or caught red handed. He _knew _he hadn't squeezed her arm that hard. Before Davina could snatch her arm away, Shin gently tugged on her sleeve. A cluster of grayish bruising protruded the light hue of her skin.

He noticed how there were five distinct marks and realized a hand had caused such bruising.

"I can explain—

"To me now? But will you tomorrow?" Shin sat up and turned away quietly in agitation.

Davina sat up against the wall and quickly covered her arm with her sleeve. "That's not fair. I don't need to tell the officers since everything is going to be dropped. No big deal, remember?"

Shin bit his lip, testing his own resolve. "Lying to the fuzz isn't a big deal. But to your friends who want to back you up? Is that how you treat your friends?"

Davina shook her head profusely. "You don't understand. Why do I have to be dragged through a situation that I did not ask for? I have nothing to gain by going into detail of what happened."

Shin's lips thinned and he stared down darkly. "It's not about gaining. It's about being honest with yourself and those who care."

He peered up at her at _care_ and Davina's gut ached with guilt. "Does it not bother you that you never told your parents about Roppongi?"

Davina gulped for the sake of her dry throat; again, words were failing her. After a long pause, she answered: "Honestly? It doesn't bother me. It does feel like a heavy secret sometimes but then I think about what they would perceive you and this friendship. It suppresses the guilt. You can't say that you have been one-hundred percent honest with me, Shin. There are topics that you avoid."

Shin stretched out his legs for movement, sensing the urge to pace. Yes, he thought. There was a whole other side to himself that Shin hadn't yet shared, even with his closest friends, especially Davina. Then again, he didn't quite perceive it as dishonesty. Just things that didn't ever need discussing.

"So we're both dishonest." Shin uttered simply, leaning back to meet Davina's eyes, not quite declaring how honest or dishonest he had been. She stared mutually, silently agreeing.

There was a deep inhale of breath when Shin's phone rang, drawing an abrupt end to the situation. "What's up?" He muttered while peering to the wall. "Outside? Alright, we'll leave now."

Davina stood, stretching her still stiff limbs, before Shin pressed the 'end' button. Shin noticed her agitation as she rolled her shoulders. She sighed in defeat, gathering her dance bag.

Shin stood and followed Davina to her bedroom door.

"Aren't you gonna fill me in on the details of the plan?"

"The first rule of the plan was to not talk about the plan." Shin voiced simply, drawing a roll of the eyes from Davina. "You'll find out soon enough." He reassured her.

_If she found out now, she probably wouldn't let them go through with it._

* * *

Davina tilted with her hip and crossed her arms speculatively. Her mouth fell open and bits of her own hair stuck to her lips as the wind blew, yet Davina was too stunned to notice. She stared speechlessly at Yankumi.

The young teacher was smiling brightly, obviously very impressed with herself. "Dabina-chan, _dou da? _What do you think? Do I look like you? I had a couple of... _colleagues_ find some of the latest fashion pieces so I could emulate your style."

Davina slowly shut her agape mouth then bit her bottom lip. She peeked at the unenthusiastic expressions that Uchi, Minami, Noda and Kuma were bearing and was slightly relieved that her disapproval wasn't exceptional.

Yankumi was clad in a tacky asymmetrical top with silvery designs. She had on a long denim pencil skirt with fraying at the hem, which Davina thought might have looked better on Yankumi if she were a little curvier. Clashing with the baggy denim were vomit green leggings with white sneakers. Covering Yankumi's black hair was a bright cherry-red synthetic wig, topped with a black beret.

"You know, because you're French." Yankumi had smartly pointed out, causing Davina's cheeks to redden with amusement.

Davina peered over to Shin whose hair feel over his face. He too was biting his lips and Davina figured to restrain himself from laughing. She gulped and forced a smile while trying to formulate a Japanese sentence. "You look great, Yankumi."

"Oh-keh?" Yankumi nodded her head as the English sentence and grinned proudly. "I could be your older sister, couldn't I?"

Shin snorted a laugh then quickly covered his mouth with his sleeve and coughed lightly to pretend that his throat was scratchy.

Davina tried her with all her might to repress giggling when she spotted traces of a smirk behind his fingers.

Noda shook his head, critically. "_Again _with the white sneakers."

Minami leaned over to Noda and mumbled. "Does she honestly think she'll fool Inoue with that?"

All humor left Davina. Inoue? "What about Inoue?" Davina cleared her throat loudly, watching as Kuma, Uchi, Minami and Noda nervously diverted their eyes away from her.

Yankumi set a comforting hand to her shoulder. "From this point, Dabina-chan, you need to treat this day as if it were completely normal. Go on with your class as if nothing were out of the ordinary."

Davina was still skeptical, yet she didn't let it affect her in front of Yankumi. However, the very reason was she attending that Saturday night class was _because_something had shifted 'normal' out of its place.

"Could you at least explain why you're dressed up..._like me_?"

Yankumi squinted her eyes thoughtfully, her vision aided by her usual set of glasses. "The plan for now is to split up the group to cover the most ground at once. For now, your job is to attend your class as you normally would."

Davina held back her remark. She normally _wouldn't _have ballet classes on a Saturday night...but she followed the gist of the instruction.

As they proceeded towards the station, Shin and Davina trailed slowly behind. "Just so you know I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a beret." _Knowing Shin, he'd probably steal it from the top of my head…_

Shin glanced away, hiding his smile, urged to laugh after holding it back from Yankumi showing off her outfit. "It's Yankumi's rendition of what she believes you would wear. Those glasses of hers probably need some adjusting." Shin added after Davina's brows furrowed from the gruesome comparison. "It's Yankumi's logic so it's bound to not make any sense."

"Well, she could have asked me, maybe I could have recommended something." Davina offhandedly suggested.

"That would have broken the first rule of the plan." Shin uttered.

"And that is?" Davina instantly remarked.

"To not talk about the plan."

Davina was silent for a moment then sighed. "Let me guess, the second rule is to not point out that the first rule is a paradox?"

"Nope, for now that still breaks the first rule." Shin quipped.

Davina sighed yet left the conversation at that. She relished Shin's amusement, almost unable to believe that behind her closed doors the situation was a giant elephant in the room that made it difficult to enjoy their time together.

With the situation and finals coming up, Davina wanted nothing more than to press fast forward. However, she would be fine with enduring it, if the world could guarantee that Shin would eventually forgive her. She missed holding his hand, kisses, hugs and his intense gaze. Yet, the urge to pull away was eating away at her gut, making her calculate and maintain the paces between them. Davina initially believed that dealing with the situation meant having everything dismissed at the police station. Now, even if Sunday went smoothly, she wasn't sure if Shin would hold it against her for not telling him. It wasn't that she didn't trust him… the situation with Tsuchida and Inoue was difficult to imagine let alone actualize into words.

As they joined the crowd to glide onto the escalator to the underground, by chance, Shin noticed Davina shiver despite the warm weather.

* * *

Davina had done as she was told. She proceeded normally despite so much acting abnormal. Her class went well, however it was slightly awkward facing a new class of Japanese faces. Her hair was tied up into a typical bun, but the red hue attracted their eyes like a magnet.

_Madame split the class, including Davina, into groups to practice crossing. When her group of three crossed across stage on pointe, reflected by the mirror, Davina's right toe box softened like cotton. She harshly collided into the girl to her right. After an awkward smattering of apologies, Davina was nudged by Madame._

"_You're very stiff today." She had muttered detachedly.  
_  
Waiting outside, Davina rolled her tight shoulders, Madame's words still piercing her concentration. She scanned down both sides of the street, checking for a familiar face, then leaned away to peel off her jacket. She flexed her right toes, sensing some bruising already in her four smaller toes. She had endured the pain of the broken toe box since the class was nearly over and frankly, her other shoes weren't in significantly better shape.

Tokyo nights were becoming warmer, humid and less windy, Davina thought. She sighed, folding her jacket over her arm. Summer was around the corner.

_Summer. I'm going to Nice, that's right. _She recalled dinner the night before. It was odd enough to be sitting with her parents to eat for once, but her mother declared that Davina and her were going to France rather than merrily suggesting that they take a holiday together.

Davina knew that her mother _liked _visiting her family in France, but she was always visibly more excited to vacation in a place they had never seen before. Davina didn't mind. She liked Southern France, especially in the summer. She could see her grandparents, hang out on the beach and drink wine with her cousins and their friends.

_Hmmm, a glass of wine. If only… _Davina thirsted for a good merlot but resentfully recalled that the legal drinking age in Japan was twenty. However, she also remembered that the party girls at her school bragged about how bartenders couldn't be bothered to card them since they were foreigners or that they'd just lie and utter, 'hatachi' and get away with it. _As if it is actually that easy, _Davina thought. _Maybe they know someone._

Dismissing her wine craving, she bitterly remembered the manner in which her mother proposed the trip was still troubling. Her tone, the way she keeping diverting her eyes the entire dinner, Davina knew her parents were still on edge. Her father barely uttered a word to her since the car drive, which frightened Davina as much as relieved her.

And Shin was still upset with her... Davina's stomach whirled. When was the entire world going to stop being upset with her? She drew her hair back with a frustrated sigh. At least she'd see Shin now and maybe have _some _rapport.

There was a tap on her shoulder. Davina spun around and was about to reach for Shin's hand when she abruptly stopped. She blinked awkwardly at the four grinning faces in front of her—Minami, Noda, Kuma and Uchi.

"Oh," Davina began, not upset to them, but surprised. "I wasn't expecting—

Noda cringed overdramatically as Davina crushed his heart. "Yes, we know we don't have Shin's _dreamy _good looks with us today but we have the lively joys of—Uchi!"

Uchi held thumbs up and stuck his chin out proudly.

"And the sweet-talking Minami!" Noda exaggeratedly rested his arm on the rusty-haired boy's shoulder as if to cue him.

"Let me be the one to soothe you with my words." Minami whispered over Davina, causing her to chuckle.

"And Kuma! The comedic relief!" Noda gestured to Kuma who was grinning widely. However the statement set in and Kuma scratched his head, dumbfounded.

"Last, but definitely not least, me—Noda! The sub leader."

The other boys' cheeriness dulled as they mutually gawked with disgust at Noda.

"Ex_cuse _me?" Minami stomped towards Noda.

Davina jumped between them before another fight could ensue. "Boys, where's Shin—and Yankumi?"

The distraction was enough to advert their attentions long enough to forget Noda's self-promotion to leader.

"That—actually is one of the things we _can't_tell you at the moment." Uchi peered away and pulled his handset out of his pocket. "But the good news is that Yankumi has given us the green light to proceed."

Minami shrugged, inhaled deeply as if to enjoy the smoggy but cool air. "Shall we go?"

Davina deactivated the contact list on her phone and replaced the headset into her bag. She merely smiled in response and joined the four friends to stroll away in the opposite direction of her usual path towards the station. She subtly gazed over the four and across the street, searching for Shin or Yankumi. She resisted the urge to ask where they were, knowing that they wouldn't tell her.

Yankumi had instructed Davina to continue normally, yet things were conspicuously out of place. Shin was nowhere to be seen. Yankumi, along with her_ ridiculous_clothes, were missing too. Plus, she was hanging with Shin's friends who were more acquaintances than close friends. And from the looks of their general direction, Davina wasn't quite permitted to venture home yet.

"Can I at least know where we're going?" Davina gathered up the courage and the Japanese.

Noda bit his lip, trying to conduct a reply in English. "To somewhere…familiar and safe."

Davina cocked an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. Noda had been studying.

Uchi turned back, assuming Noda's phrase. "Ah, with Shin gone for now, we can ask whatever we want about America and other places you've been."

Davina blinked, squeezing her jacket against her chest. "Will Shin and Yankumi not be joining us?"

Minami visibly recoiled as if they weren't supposed to stumble upon the question. "Later. Maybe?" He uttered, glancing amongst the others to test if he had revealed enough to share with Davina yet not push the boundaries of the plan.

"We have the easy part." Kuma murmured simply, causing Davina to wonder.

Just where and what were Shin and Yankumi up to?

* * *

Shin lifted his chin high to peer over the bustling crowds. Despite how notoriously busy Tokyo was or how thick the Friday night crowds were, Davina was _always _easy to find. Not simply because of her bright red hair (though it was a big factor) but rather her composure. Davina's way of walking was different from the other girls, though Shin himself couldn't quite place why. Though it sounded a little odd in his mind, his memories confirmed his theory.

However, he wasn't searching for Davina that night as he stood at the front entrance and exit of her ballet school.

A few girls, about his age, exited the academy. Though immersed in conversation, the four girls eagerly eyed Shin as they drifted to the streets. Shin remembered Kuma, Minami, Uchi and Noda insisting that they join for that part of the plan, however Shin was adamant. And at that moment, he was thankful for his persistence.

And there were _four _girls too. And cute by anyone's standards. Uchi would have gone for the pink-clad girl with the flowery headband—definitely. He liked the really girly ones. Minami would have drooled over the petite one. Noda would have been chatting up the taller, sophisticated one. While Kuma, with an onigiri in his hand, would have discussed flavors with the girl, who nibbled on a rice ball.

Shin smirked at the thought and the girls shamelessly giggled, thinking that the gesture was from admiration of them. He dismissed their laughter and checked his watch.

_She's late._

As if on cue, clumsy, noisy, _lumbering _footsteps smacked the pavement behind Shin. With a deep weary sigh, he turned around. An imposter, dressed in a ridiculous wig and costume smiled at him.

"Take off the glasses, Davina doesn't wear glasses." He chided.

Yankumi blinked repeatedly as if her reason was the most obvious thing in the world. "But how am I supposed to see?"

Shin shoved his hands deep into his pockets and coldly stared at Yankumi. The prospective success of their plan was suddenly bleak in Shin's mind.

Yankumi adjusted the bright red wig, pretending to be combing her hair. She leaned closer to whisper. "Is the wig okay? The fan inside the academy was blowing really hard and it was flying all over the place."

Shin still didn't answer. He watched the astonished glances of passersby. "What terrible style?" Women and men alike murmured to each other. Shin twisted away from Yankumi, almost embarrassed for her as well as concerned for the plan.

_Were they really expecting to fool anybody with this charade? _

"Sawada, give me your arm." Yankumi slipped her arm out towards his but Shin visibly withdrew.

Yankumi pushed her up glasses and began actively gesturing with her hands as if to explain her point while speaking in a very matter-of-a-fact tone. "I understand that I am your homeroom teacher, but for the sake of the plan we have to convince people that I am Dabina-chan. Thereby if you don't treat like me like you would her, the plan will fail."

Holding his sharp tongue, Shin stiffly held out his arm, bent at the elbow for Yankumi to grasp. Her thin fingers circled lightly around his arm then she flipped the wig's hair in an attempt to appear loving but in a very non-Davina way.

Shin rolled his eyes to the street, mentally measuring the distance between Shibuya and the Hardy Barracks.

* * *

My chapters don't like going according to plan in terms of length. What was supposed to be one chapter is being split into two for the sake of not dragging this one out for another 10K...but the good news is that a good chunk of that chappie is done! Again, thanks for reading! :) *quietly slips away...


	20. Chapter 20: Loosen Up

Back in the author's note on chapter 7 I wrote an estimation that I believed the story would go up to least twenty-five chapters…*snickers to self* From knowing what _I _know will happen in this story, let's say that benchmark will be hit soon and not even reach half of what I want to cover… Yay, I suppose.

Thank you guys for all the reviews thus far! This term has been killer and the remedy to submitting a bunch of long essays to write another twenty pages on non related material :) Btw, I'm adding chapter names from now on to make the chapters easier to navigate. Hope it helps!

Warning: This chapter will contain scenes of minors being drunk and being drunk in public... If that bothers you, I would not recommend reading this chapter.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Twenty: Loosen Up

* * *

Second in Command of Ooedo, Wakamatsu stood ominously at the entrance of the Ginza izakaya and searched throughout the bar through his dark sun glasses. It was evening time and the lighting and shading of his glasses made it look like he was seeing through a shot of whiskey. His attire was traditional, not flashy. It was meant to be a productive yet quiet chat. He wanted to avoid making a fuss; he was not on Ooedo turf.

A woman offered to escort him, yet he declined her offers and retreated to a corner seat. He peered over his shoulder slyly to see she had left him alone. While beautiful, those girls were dangerous to touch, even to be seen with and Wakamatsu was not seeking attention that evening.

He absently glanced at the drink menu but despite spotting his favorite sake he pressed the dispenser for some tea.

"Not drinking tonight?" An inoffensive baritone voice uttered.

Wakamatsu gently blew across his steaming cup and met eyes with his contact. "It's not one of those days I'm afraid, Itou. I need a clear mind."

Yuuto Itou was medium height, skinny with slanted eyes. Dressed in a typical black suit, black trousers, shiny black shoes and white shirt, at first glance; he wouldn't call for much attention. He didn't look like an overzealous yakuza. However, Wakamatsu did notice the slightly longer length of Itou's sleeves. Most likely to hide his tattoos in case the fabric rode up his arm, he figured.

"Sake will relax your mind and clear it of inhibitions. You know that so you must have something you don't want me to hear." Itou sat down and unbuttoned his suit jacket but did not remove it.

Wakamatsu dismissed the verbal jab, giving his contact the benefit of the doubt and hope that it was just his sense of humor rather than suspicion. "How's Kurosawa-sama?" He added the honorific out of respect.

"He's busy." Itou refilled Wakamatsu's tea and simply poured his own. "He's heard that the Diet is planning on passing a major Anti-Yakuza law. Our contact was hesitant about explaining it, but they're doing a purge of those in the government who are also affiliated with Yakuza. Needless to say"—Itou laughed—"our contact won't be around there much longer to tell us."

Wakamatsu nodded his head. "But any new members they bring can be just as easily _persuaded._"

Itou smiled at first, but he lit a cigarette and his features sunk. "We hope that will be the case after this bill is passed. The government does not want to pay lip service to its people while allowing us to function as we please anymore. If the bill really delivers more transparency, our way of life will change.

"That's why the boss is busy at the moment. He's pulling a lot of strings."

Wakamatsu peered towards his contact to read his features for the question he was about to ask. "Is he planning something?"

Itou's face revealed no indication of deception. "If I knew he was, I wouldn't be able to tell you anyway."

Wakamatsu, though still interested in the subject, had more dire matters to discuss. "The issue that I need to discuss with you, Itou, is a bit sensitive. Many of the subjects are underage. I think"—he removed the photo Ojou gave him—"this one is part of your family."

Itou took the photo and opened his eyes widely as if to carefully inspect it. "He's a foot soldier. He's not under me. I might know who he is and which clan he belongs to. Is there a problem? Is he causing trouble on your turf?"

"Not to the clan, to a special friend." Wakamatsu conveniently left out Ojou. "If my understanding is correct, a simple matter escalated and now he is demanding police involvement."

Itou snickered and exhaled a puff of smoke. "What's that have to do with me?"

"He is calling too much attention to himself. If the police start sniffing, his clan, your clan, Kurosawa-sama will be affected."

"The boss could handle an investigation easily, if not deter it."

"That is true. The issue is simple but the timing is disastrous. Your boss can't pull strings if an investigation, no matter how small, is pending. If what you were saying earlier is true, Kurosawa-sama would do best to make sure his foot soldiers stay in line until the bill is scrapped."

"The boss does not need to be bothered by the over zealousness of the foot soldier."

Wakamatsu nodded his head and peered away. "Better this gets nipped at the bud before it makes its way to your boss. It will frustrate him more if he is the last to find out about an investigation against his group while he is already asking for favors in the Diet."

Itou gulped his tea, his eyes narrowing. Wakamatsu had just made him a liability. He had no choice. "You son of a bitch. Fine. I'll inform the leader of the clan in question that he needs to keep his foot soldier under his thumb."

* * *

Davina peered over her shoulder then up at the patterned ceiling of the garishly red and yellow colored establishment in 高田馬場or Takadanobaba. Next to her, teens and tired businessmen were carrying their trays of french fries and hamburgers. Yes, she thought to herself and smiled. She was standing in a queue at a McDonalds.

She had asked why they had ventured all the way to Takadanobaba for McDonalds—not that Baba was far but they had definitely passed by a few McDs on the way.

"We're taking you to a place you'll find familiar and safe." They had said.

Davina grinned to herself.

Minami, Uchi and Noda were in front of Davina while Kuma waited behind—the three boys heavily insisted that Kuma order last since his orders took the longest. Davina glanced behind at Kuma who was scratching his chin while eyeing the menu very speculatively, as if solving a hard math problem.

"Dabina-chan, which one do _you_ think I should get?" Kuma uttered next to her ear, his eyes never leaving the menu. "The Mega Big Mac or the Mega Teriyaki?"

The redhead searched for the items and her attention gravitated towards two massive quadruple-paddie burgers. Her appetite sank as her stomach whirled unpleasantly. Davina herself was not the best person to ask about McDonald burgers. She couldn't even recall the last time she had tasted McDonalds or even paid attention to one.

"Um, I'm gonna try the teriyaki burger so you can try some of mine if you would like." She suggested, tearing her eyes away from the display as Uchi uttered his massive order to the worker. She listened in to Noda and Minami and felt her stomach expand.

Weren't they supposed to be a country of _tiny_portion sizes?

Davina felt herself being shoved in front of the queue by the flow of the line. She quickly scanned the menu again for her order and picked out pieces of Uchi, Minami and Noda's Japanese dialogue. "The teriyaki burger meal, please."

Despite being sure that she said it perfectly, the cashier leaned in with a high-pitched "huh?" Davina repeated her order, slower and louder.

After a pause, the cashier turned to Minami, Uchi and Noda as if begging for an explanation.

"She said, the teriyaki burger, _please._" Noda bitterly uttered.

The cashier pressed a few buttons and never acknowledged Davina again until she paid. This left Davina slightly confused and uncertain; she peered over to Uchi, Minami and Noda who were standing at the edge of the counter. Meanwhile, Kuma stood next to Davina, scratching his chin as he announced his colossal order.

"I heard you, Dabina-chan. Does that sort of thing happen _often_?" Minami asked, hiking a brow.

Davina simpered. "People just don't expect me to speak any Japanese."

Thankfully, the boys ignored the fact that Davina vaguely answered.

Noda sighed. "It must be very tough."

"But foreigners are very capable. I met a Nigerian man the other day who speaks better Japanese some of 3-D." Uchi added. "The only thing he couldn't understand was 'no! I don't want to buy that shirt for ¥5,000!'"

"Yankumi and Shin mentioned that even _you,_ a non-Japanese, spotted spelling mistakes in our work." Kuma added.

"Seeing Dabina-chan use Russian and French…makes you very capable." Minami smiled at Davina. "If people get surprised, don't take it too personally or that you're saying it wrong."

"To be honest," Uchi began. "If a foreigner is asking me for directions, I will try and answer in English. Just to be helpful!"

Davina laughed, recalling her winded discussions with Jayla, Mira as well as other foreign students.

"What's so funny?" Minami asked, slowly glancing amongst his friends' perplexed expressions.

Davina's cheeks reddened from mirth and she covered her mouth to restrain from giggling more in their faces. "People trying to study Japanese find it frustrating sometimes when you answer in English. It's confusing because we can never be sure if we spoke correctly or not."

The three boys turned to one another, checking to see if they were all baffled. They all shrugged, silently agreeing that they could not understand while Davina continued to snicker behind her hand. Kuma finally joined them with a McDonald's cup in his hand.

They retrieved their orders and sat down at a booth in the corner upstairs—for some odd reason they were insistent on Davina sitting in the farthest corner from the entrance, facing the exit and the open walking space. The girl didn't bother to argue and simply sat. It wasn't as if they were going to offer any answers…

The boys wasted no time eating—_inhaling_ their food so quickly Davina could have sworn they were in competition with an invisible vacuum cleaner.

Davina removed the wrapping from her food, surprised at the hearty bites she took, not realizing how hungry she was or how much she liked her teriyaki burger. She licked her lips and tasted sweet teriyaki sauce. She found herself nodding to herself and Kuma noticed with a smile.

"Good?"

"Definitely not bad." She answered.

Uchi pointed a French fry at Davina. "They don't have teriyaki burgers in McDonalds in America, do they?"

"I have never seen one anywhere else other than Japan." Davina answered, conveniently leaving out how she rarely ate from McDonalds.

Davina continued to eat with her forearm pressed against the table then quietly twitched from a sudden wave of dull pain and attached memories when she spotted the faintest mark of bruised skin. Without even reaching for a napkin, she yanked down her sleeves until her fingertips were almost covered. She hoped that the boys were too preoccupied with their meals but too worried to ask, she returned to her meal silently as if she hadn't been anxious.

Though no words were exchanged, Davina's fretful display of covering her arms with her sleeves was carefully observed by the four boys. They chattered animatedly to each other and ate normally despite the obvious reminder of the unmentionable yet unfortunate situation. Shin hadn't mentioned anything suspicious about her arms and they pondered if they should tell him in case he hadn't already known.

Davina lifted her chin and gazed over the other tables as bits of their conversation became too colloquial for her to understand. Though she spotted two groups of businessmen, and several other groups of young teens, she spotted a young couple, sitting closely in the opposite corner.

Though she never associated McDonalds with romance, she thought it rather sweet and intimate how they sat under the rosy colored shade. The shade hid the blush in their faces, yet they smiled from each other's company.

"They're on a date you know." Minami broke Davina's train of thought, causing her eyes to blink rapidly.

"Yes—of course they are." She mumbled, feeling the usual rush to her cheeks when she blushed.

The boys smiled knowingly, repressing the urge to tease Davina senselessly.

"Have any of you ever taken your date to McDonalds before?" The redhead giggled, still blushing.

The boys all shrugged and each mumbled a sort of qualifier.

"A few times." Uchi said.

"A couple." Minami nodded.

"I meet an ex in a McDonalds once." Noda muttered.

"It was our favorite place to go." Kuma added.

Davina hummed to herself in awe. "Hmmm, I never knew that." It dawned on her that Kuma, Uchi, Noda and Minami never spoke about personal things with her before. Judging by their usual flirty demeanor with girls, Davina figured they were all single.

"Has Shin not taken Dabina-chan here yet?" Noda smirked and Davina laughed.

"She should know that he is a sucker for the McPork sandwich—he's very sneaky about it. And don't ever try to share with him—he never shares!" Uchi grumbled with the others nodding zealously.

"Ordered a plate of dumplings, they arrived one minute, I turn my head for a _second_, they're gone the next. You would think Kuma is bad, but Kuma orders enough for himself. Shin has no guilt when he polishes off a plate and the worst part is that you never see him do it." Minami narrated as if it were a tragic story; the others heartedly agreed.

Though Davina smiled from amusement, thinking back, she couldn't picture Shin being sneaky about food.

"So Dabina-chan!" Uchi chirped happily, successfully securing Davina's attention. "Was Shin like that at all when you were together?"

Davina immediately imagined her dining room with Shin, very tranquil and collected. "He definitely shares food." She snickered, taking another bite from her burger. "I'll keep your advice in mind, though, about the McPork sandwich.

"So, do you guys date much?" Davina set her burger down to have some of McD's fries, which she had to admit, she had forgotten how nice they tasted.

Uchi proudly beat his chest with his palm. "Dabina, we are _masters _of courtship."

She giggled. "Then how come I haven't seen any of you with girls?"

The boys visibly cringed.

Noda shrieked as if in physical pain. "You know, you don't have to point it out so harshly Aka-chan."

"I'll have you know that I had just finished a relationship before we became friends." Minami leaned in towards Davina.

"Oh, what happened?"

Minami's expression saddened. "She was a liar." He quickly told her about Watanabe and his girlfriend's infidelity. He also said how incredible of a friend Shin had been and how impressive Yankumi had been as she fought off Watanabe and his crew.

Davina sat there for a long time, twirling a fry in her fingers contemplatively. The urge to ask about Shin and Yankumi's whereabouts overwhelmed her again, yet she merely asked another question. "Again, so why did we go to Takadanobaba?"

"Neh, Dabina-chan, do you go out much?" Kuma asked slowly.

"To like bars, clubs, and such?" Noda clarified.

Davina shook her head, not sure how the question was relevant to hers.

Uchi dusted the salt from his hands from his French fries. "Takadanobaba is great for student nightlife—mostly university—but we high school students like coming here as well. Waseda is nearby; Temple University houses their students around here too."

"Temple uni means a bunch of foreigners who probably speak English hang out around here." Minami pointed out.

Davina hiked a brow, impressed. "You guys put a lot of thought into tonight, I'll admit."

They all smiled and Uchi uttered on their behalf: "Like we said, we don't have Shin's dreamy looks tonight, but you'll be entertained."

Davina wiped her mouth with a napkin before speaking. "I just wish you guys had told me that we were going out so I could have brought something to change into."

Kuma tilted his head thoughtfully. "That would have broken the first rule of the plan."

* * *

Yankumi twirled her hair for the thousandth time and Shin peered over his shoulder, half in embarrassment, and half for checking for followers.

"So…Shin-_chaaan_…" Yankumi said in a high cheery voice, making Shin cringe.

"Davina never says Shin-_chan, _for the last time." Shin scolded the teacher.

"Eh? Why not?" Yankumi abruptly broke character. "Nah, my phone is ringing again. Do you think I should answer?"

"Just keep it down." Shin shushed the teacher. Earlier she had tried speaking entirely in English and while it perhaps would fool anyone else, Shin couldn't bear it.

When Shin could only see typical pedestrians, nothing suspicious, he considered texting Uchi or Noda to tell them to call it off or meet earlier than planned. However, his gut twisted at the thought. His instincts believed—no, _knew—_that Inoue's crew was out there. They must have believed their ridiculous charade; otherwise they would have faced them already.

In that event, Shin gingerly set his arm on Yankumi's shoulders as a mark of affection. With Davina, they would merely hold hands, yet they had a charade to maintain.

"Saaa…Shin-chaaan—

* * *

After finishing their meals, the boys directed Davina towards an izakaya. It appeared quieter compared to the other more youthful establishments.

"Aren't we twenty-five years too young for this place?" Davina muttered.

"Yeah, the atmosphere is a bit old, but it's got cheaper drinks." Minami explained.

"Are they carding?" Noda nudged Uchi, the taller one who could peer over to the bar.

Uchi cursed. "Yep, they are."

"Neh…Dabina-chan…do you mind if we ask you a favor?" Noda began.

Davina leaned in so Noda could whisper in her ear. A few moments later she was awkwardly approaching the bar with a long, complicated list of orders that she was quickly failing to remember. "But I'm not twenty! None of us are!"

"Yes, but they're more lenient with foreigners! Trust me! Just say you're 'hatachi' if they ask. They won't inquire anymore than that."

When Davina glared in annoyance at the four, they patted her on the shoulder in amusement. "Promise!" They all chorused.

Just be cool, she told herself. She wasn't sure what exactly would happen if she screwed up. She never had a problem ordering drinks before but doing that in France and England was seemingly easier. She called for a bar tender who slowly approached her. Davina noticed immediately that he knew she wasn't twenty.

However, she bucked up her courage and just ordered as if she did it every day. She pressed a menu against the counter and traced her finger over the drinks she wanted. "Um, yes, can I get four of…_these _and three of…_those—_

"Are you old enough to be here?" His voice blared, deeper and stronger than Davina imagined.

She gulped. "I'm twenty," she said as her mouth dried.

The bar tender grumbled. "Looks younger…" he mumbled, but he quickly scribbled her order and marched away.

The teenager exhaled deeply, her head spinning from relief. She paid and quickly carried the tray of drinks to their booth. The boys whooped with praises for their comrade.

"Well done Aka-chan!"

Davina set the tray down with gusto, dying to get the evidence out of her hands.

"Nah, didn't you get anything for yourself?" Kuma asked, passing out the beers.

Davina shook her head. "Nope, not really interested."

Minami snorted. "Come on, Dabina, live a little."

"You've had a rough couple of days, loosen up a little." Uchi added.

"Here, have one of my shots." Noda slid a small glass towards Davina.

Drumming her nails on the counter top for a moment, facing four encouraging boys, Davina gave in. One couldn't hurt. "Alright," she grasped the glass and held it up to cheer with the others. "Bottoms up." She tipped the glass and her throat burned.

* * *

"Where the heck is that girl?" Ken growled at the clock ticking in his living room. He listened to the generic voice mail box message of his daughter's phone then hung up.

Esmée heaved a sigh, turning the page of her newspaper, despite hardly paying attention to the articles. "She's still not answering her phone?"

"Isn't she supposed to be grounded?"

"She's never been grounded before; maybe she didn't know she had to _stay_ home."

Ken shook his head while tiredly rubbing his forehead. "This isn't a joke, Esmée."

"Who's laughing?" She folded her paper and left the living room. "I'm going to sleep, don't forget what we have to deal with tomorrow."

Ken let out another unpleasant grunt as his wife shut the bedroom door.

* * *

Davina was ordered to buy the next round. Surprisingly, she could already feel the one shot she had. She wasn't tipsy yet, but a couple more would do the trick. She had changed her mind. Whatever Noda bought for her, she wanted another.

She sat on the bar and leaned forward to get the attention of the bar tender. The young man gave her a slight nod of the head for acknowledgement. Davina smiled and sat firmly in her seat to wait, enjoying the airy feeling in her head.

The stench of stale alcohol waved over her was so strong that Davina nearly closed her nostrils with her fingers. A scruffy business man dizzily climbed into the chair to the right of Davina. Besides the smell, Davina didn't think much of the man until he undoubtedly turned to her.

In her peripheral vision, she could see his dark eyes squinting tiredly from being drunk. He opened his mouth to utter something and Davina was hit with another whiff of alcohol.

"Oi…Oi…" He muttered to Davina, vying for her attention.

She ignored him, pretending that she couldn't hear him in the loud bar.

"Oi!" He tapped on her arm and with a huff, Davina turned around. She figured in the best case scenario he was asking for her help or worst case, he was trying to be creepy.

She could do three things: answer in English in case he knew English and was sincere, answer in French since he mostly like wouldn't speak French so he would leave her alone, or tell him off in vulgar Japanese. She decided to wait until she figured out the nature of his interruption.

He drunkenly rubbed his face then leaned to speak to Davina. "Do you model or something?"

Davina's jaw tightened, but she continued to ignore him.

He tapped her arm harder. "What…I know your face and hair…aren't you that glamour model? What was her name…?"

Davina's eyes widened in spite of her control. "I'm just a student!"

"No, no…you're definitely her." He insisted, leaning in closer.

Davina's blood raced with adrenaline but before she could act, a friend intervened. "Hey, old man! Take a picture! It'll last longer!" Minami's voice shouted.

"But try it and see what happens." Uchi chimed in, circling the man.

"You don't want to mess with us, do you?" Kuma cracked his knuckles.

The man fled, and Davina ducked her head, rushing back to the booth.

"You alright, Aka-chan?"

Davina shook her head to herself. Why did everyone always have to refer to her by her hair color?

However, trying not to upset the boys any further, she forced her composure. "Guys, you can't go around threatening every single person who stares." She pointed to her red hair. "My friends and I are used to it."

The boys recalled the time they ate with Davina and Shin in Shinjuku—the occasion Davina had felt obligated to pay for. The staring, the pointing, the whispering—they hadn't reacted then for the sake of not frightening Davina in front of Shin or getting into trouble. They figured the staring was due to the high density of Shinjuku. A lot of people meant loads of people who could be staring. However, as they strolled in a residential area, the fewer the people the more frequent the stares became.

"We've never dealt with this sort of thing before."

"What does Shin do?"

Davina thought carefully then answered. "He doesn't do anything really—not from what I see. He makes _me_ deal with it." She remembered the two significant situations when Shin stole her hat. "I used to wear hats all the time, not for fashion, but to cover up my hair. Shin has a knack for stealing them, so I've gotten used to it."

"Dabina-chan…" Kuma uttered softly.

"I'm alright, really." She insisted.

"Then why are you shaking?"

The question, though spot on as she slowly realized, hit right at home. Words failed her, it was harder to speak for reasons she couldn't fathom. Maybe it had to do with that drink.

Minami nudged Noda. "Let's go to a more student friendly place."

* * *

The red-headed Yankumi stretched and yawned sheepishly. "Ah, so it good go home." She happily chirped for effect in poor English, Shin thought as he cringed.

They were approaching the army base but Yankumi's unnecessary chatter made each step painstakingly long.

"Hey, I'm gonna put my shoulder on your arm," she broke character and whispered. Shin's shoulders tightened as Yankumi gingerly graced her head on his arm.

Despite being his homeroom teacher, Shin doubted she had any real experience with relationships. Suddenly Yankumi froze, Shin glanced back. Her face paled.

"Yabai!" She scurried behind single standing tree.

"What the heck are you—

"Ah! Sawada and Suminsu!"

Shin turned and saw two cheery ladies, waving animatedly at him.

"What are _they_ doing here?" Yankumi muttered under her breath.

Fujiyama and Kawashima-sensei grinned from ear to ear and their cheeks were flushed, Shin saw as they approached him. They laughed as Kawashima-sensei almost tripped in her very high-heeled shoes.

"So despite the horrors of this week, you two sweethearts still manage to go out?" Fujiyama winked knowingly at Shin.

Shin's eyebrows rose. Were they drunk?

"Sah, Dabina-chaaan… no need to hide!" Kawashima skipped over to the tree where Yankumi hid. "We promise we won't tell your elders or school teachers."

"Yamaguchi-sensei already knows, doesn't she?" Fujiyama-sensei tilted her head in thought. "What a nice homeroom teacher she is? Isn't she Sawada-kun?"

Yankumi slid around the tree, trying to avoid Kawashima, but Kawashima drifted around the tree until the two teachers collided and fell over like bowling pins.

The homeroom teacher watched in slow motion as her red wig flew off her head and into the street of oncoming traffic. Her hand reached out as if to catch it but she saw three shadows slowly approach her.

"Oww, Yamaguchi-sensei!" Kawashima cried, rubbing her back.

"With Sawada-kun? Oh the scandal!" Fujiyama pressed her palm to her lips in glee and teasingly nudged Shin with her elbow.

Yankumi stood immediately and faced her colleagues. "Scandal? What are two young teachers doing in Roppongi?"

"US?" The two teachers shouted incredulously. "What is a homeroom teacher doing with one of her young vulnerable students on a Saturday night?"

Yankumi's cheeks were redder than a tomato. "I can explain! It's not how it looks! Sawada?"

She turned around and her excitement evaporated. Shin faced four young men, two of them she recognized from Shirokin.

"Inoue—

"Tsuchida—" Fujiyama immediately sobered, her vision darting between the thugs, Sawada and Yankumi. What was one of her most prized homeroom students doing with that sort of lot?

Tsuchida's expression was one of defeat but this seemed to amuse Inoue as he stepped forward. "This," he began, "has become far more exciting than I could have hoped."

* * *

"I AM A UNIVERSITY STUDENT AT TEMPLE." Davina regurgitated the line the boys had instructed her to say to the bouncer. He had asked to see some identity but the truth was they were all under the legal drinking age. The student club and music were so loud by the entrance; Davina had to shout so the bouncer could hear her. "THESE ARE MY FRIENDS, THEY ALSO GO TO UNIVERSITY."

The bouncer stared suspiciously at Uchi, Minami, Noda and Kuma. He could picture Davina as a university student, especially from Temple. He couldn't quite imagine a girl dressed nicely like Davina hanging out with a group of young thugs. However, he waved them through. "Don't cause any trouble." He muttered to the boys.

"Miserable old man." They grumbled under their breaths.

Davina instantly preferred this place over the old one. The atmosphere was younger, brighter and more social. Judging by the pleased smiles as the boys peered over towards a group of girls, Davina knew they were planning to enjoy themselves.

"I'll buy the first round." Davina declared to allow them to scurry off to flirt.

Kuma whispered over her ear. "Are you sure? After what happened back there—

"It's fine." She shouted in response over the loud music. "Go, flirt."

Uchi gave her a peace sign; they didn't have to be told twice. Davina rubbed her throat as she joined the queue at the bar. Her voice was not going to happy in the morning. The next morning…when she would have to make a statement for the police with her parents.

Her stomach whirled nervously but she forced a smile to save her mood. The guys were going out of their way to cheer her up and keep her company. Meanwhile, Shin—

She was shoved abruptly in the shoulder and her right knee to her shoe was soaked.

"I'm so sorry!" Cried a girl's voice in rapid Japanese. The girl, quickly offered Davina a napkin, but her eyes widened in the typical 'oh-shit, she's Caucasian, must not understand Japanese,' look.

Davina stared at the upset girl. She recognized her. She swore she had seen her before somewhere…

"Natsu," said a male, foreign sounding voice. The young man with light brown hair and blue eyes, with Caucasian features, wrapped an arm around the girl. He smiled at her. "Did ya spill something?"

She replied in soft Japanese but Davina couldn't understand from either her vocabulary or the loud music.

"Hey, I'm so sorry miss, it was an accident. Let me get you a towel." He smiled as he apologized.

Davina dismissed his offered, embarrassed for the situation. "It's alright, I'll sort it out."

"Again, sorry about that. Hey, do you go to Temple?"

"ASIJ." She answered.

He laughed loudly. "Ah, still a high schooler. Aren't you a little young to be in a club?"

Davina raised a brow. The young man had a baby face. "Are you twenty yourself?"

"Touché." He said, pulling his girlfriend closer affectionately. "Hey, since we ruined your night, let us buy you a drink."

Davina peered over her shoulder, unable to see Kuma, Noda, Minami or Uchi. "I was supposed to buy some for my friends."

"Tell me what they want. I'll get them."

True to his words, the young man, whom Davina later learned to be named Brian Scott, bought Davina and her friends a round of drinks. However, since she couldn't see where they had drifted off to, Brian secured a table for Davina and his girlfriend.

"Natsu speaks fantastic English, but she's a bit shy." Brian joked, causing Natsu to blush.

"I can speak decent Japanese." Davina said to Natsu and sipped her drink.

Natsu asked Davina about ASIJ and Davina asked Brian about Temple. An American himself, he had a few friends who attended Temple straight after graduating ASIJ.

When Davina asked if Natsu attended Temple too, she fled the conversation, saying she needed the bathroom. Before Davina could ask Brian, she heard four familiar voices.

"Psh, those girls."

"Think they're _so_ great because they go to Waseda."

"So? I could get accepted there _in my sleep!_"

"Good Dabina-chan's got our drinks."

"Why is she with a guy?"

Davina could feel four pairs of _suspicious_ eyes, burning into her and Brian. "Guys, _let me introduce you to my _friend_. _Friend, whose name is Brian, these are my friends."

Brian, happily ignorant of the accusing glares from Uchi, Minami, Kuma and Noda, waved and greeted them. "Hey guys, say do any of you have the time?"

Uchi grudgingly twisted his arm to check his watch. His eyes widened and he showed the others. "Guys, we're late!"

Four arms instantly grabbed the shouts and the four boys gulped them down. However, the liquid burned their throats and they all bent over coughing.

Kuma was the first to come through, though stammering. "Dabina-chan, Shin…was expecting..us…an hour ago!"

Davina nearly fell out of her seat. "What IS the time?" Her curfew, her parents, _and she was supposed to be grounded!_ She grabbed Uchi's arm and her jaw dropped.

She slowly turned to Brian with a pale face. "I'm so sorry! We have to leave! Thanks again for the drinks!"

Before Brian could even open his mouth to utter farewell, the five teenagers ran out of the bar as if a demon were chasing them.

* * *

"Why are you here?" Shin watched Inoue, specifically his hands near his pockets.

"Where's your little friend?" He replied, stepping forward.

"WHY are you here?" Yankumi charged forward her, demeanor serious despite her ridiculous outfit.

Inoue smirked at her attire. "We have unfinished business."

"That will be dealt with tomorrow." Yankumi sharply replied.

"This has nothing to do with you, sensei." Tsuchida grunted.

"Two students of mine playing thugs!" Yankumi severely replied.

"How is it not our business?" Kawashima, with Fujiyama, stepped forward with Shin and Yankumi.

Yankumi proceeded forward and before Shin, Kawashima or Fujiyama could act, Inoue grabbed the collar of her shirt. "You have no idea who and what you're messing with, _sensei._" He muttered, teeth bared ferociously. He reminded Yankumi of a rabid dog.

"I know _exactly _who and what I'm dealing with. Do you and your _boss _know?" Yankumi hissed confidently. If she had blinked, Yankumi would have missed the glint of fear in his eyes.

Just as Shin charged, Inoue harshly released Yankumi.

"Pass the message to your friend: she keeps her mouth shut tomorrow."

* * *

Trying to read the already ridiculously hard to read Tokyo subway map was even harder with the drinks inhibiting Davina's system. Slowly, the gears in her head turned. "Okay, we can go to Ebisu and change or just…go to Yoyogi since its closer—

"And get trampled by tourists." Uchi held up Noda who was having trouble standing.

"Why is the foreigner the one trying to find a route home?" Davina asked rhetorically to the group of swaying boys. "Any suggestions?"

"Bus!" Minami pointed out joyfully. "No changes!"

Before the boys could get too excited Davina cut in. "Train! It's faster."

"Well, we're out of suggestions." Kuma hiccupped, causing the entire group to burst in a fit of giggles. Why _in the world_ was it so hard to make a decision?

Uchi was the first to act. "Train it is guys, get your passes out." They all reached into their pockets. Davina checked her wallet and her expression sulked.

"What's wrong, Dabina-chaaaan?" Noda slurred.

"My pass…it was in my bag…"

"Your bag? Did you leave it in the bar?"

"No, my dance bag…you know, _the one that Yankumi is carrying._"

All of them groaned in disbelief. How could they be so dumb?

"How did you ride the train to Baba?" Minami asked a surprisingly relevant question.

Davina was already walking to the ticket machine. "I had a spare ticket from when I first arrived!"

The boys went ahead and tapped their passes on the machines. They waited for their red-headed friend to show up on the other side.

Tipsy, Davina was slower than usual with the machine. She carefully selected her ticket and paid. She probably paid a little too much but she didn't want to bother with paying more upon exiting the station.

"Dabina-chan, what were you doing with that guy back at the bar?" Noda asked, accusingly.

Davina rolled her eyes. "Talking since you boys ditched me to flirt with some girls." She knew her response was harsh but so was the accusation. "Only talking, I promise. His girlfriend spilled her drink on my clothes and he offered to buy us drinks as an apology."

"I don't remember seeing a girlfriend…" Uchi murmured as they rode down the escalators to the train platforms.

Suddenly hurt, Davina turned around so quickly her hair whipped around over her shoulder. Her eyes appeared grey with anger. "I wouldn't do that to Shin."

Case closed. The guys shut up and never brought up their accusations again.

"He was American. Do you miss hanging out with Americans, Dabina-chan?" Noda asked sincerely.

Davina shrugged. "You guys forget that I'm more used to not being surrounded Americans all the time…well except at the bases."

The left the escalators and followed the signs to their platform. When she saw their twisted faces of confusion she reminded herself that she had never explained her history to them.

Normally she wouldn't bother or avoided the topic, with a tipsy mind, she decided to share. "Since we've got a train ride ahead of us, I'll tell you."

* * *

Shin checked his watch again. "Where in the world are they?"

The three teachers yawned, one after another.

"I'd hate to leave you, Yamaguchi-sensei, but I'm beyond exhausted." Fujiyama-sensei's eyes were heavy lidded from sleepiness.

Despite being tired herself, Yankumi smiled at her colleagues. "You two go on home, I can handle it from here."

Kawashima protested. "What if Inoue and his goons return?"

"They won't," Yankumi reassured them. "Not tonight, so go get some sleep."

"_Chouto, _but.._._" The teachers were reluctant, but Yankumi waved a taxi for them.

* * *

"Wow, Dabina-chan, you've lived in places I never even knew existed." Kuma smiled, still tipsy.

They were all slumped into train chairs with the other passengers standing towards the ends of the train car, worried by the rowdiness.

"I'm surprised Shin didn't tell you—" Davina said but was interrupted by Uchi.

"Shin _never _tells us anything. Get with the program, Aka-chan."

"Speaking of never-tell-anyone-anything, we never found out how you two met?" Noda said without understanding the implications of his question.

Davina's mood grew somber, however without her usual inhibitions, she spoke. "I was being chased by some club thugs in Roppongi. I was mistaken for someone but they threatened to drown me in the sea. Shin came that night and fought them off. He bought me some tea and helped me settle down before taking me home. It was the first time he had done that."

The drunken cheeriness died in the group as the boys digested the information.

"Shin is a good guy." Uchi was the first to speak.

Davina smiled in spite of her sad memory. "He's lovely." Feeling warm from her drinks, Davina tucked her long hair over her shoulder and casually pulled back her sleeves.

The boys were stunned by the dark marks on her wrists.

"Dabina…did Tsuchida and Inoue create those marks?" Minami softly asked.

She yanked down her sleeves again. "They didn't do anything to me. I didn't let them."

Despite how her response left them begging to ask more questions, the boys left the subject alone. It wasn't their place. Shin would have to be the one to ask those painful questions.

"Guys…" Davina spoke again, slowly sitting up. "We missed our stop…"

* * *

"Did they say where they were going?" Yankumi asked Shin for the third time.

He ignored her and dialed their numbers again. Davina's phone rang in her dance bag.

A group of four wobbled but they laughed as if they were enjoying their unsteadiness.

Shin sighed deeply. "That's them."

"Huh? Are they drunk?" She slowly stood and followed Shin after them.

His poker face was on the surface but internally he was fuming. "Uchi! Where the hell have you been? Didn't I say for us to meet almost two hours ago?"

Uchi slapped Shin's shoulder in a chummy manner. "Calm down, Shin-chaan! We're here, we're safe and sound."

Shin smacked his hand away. His face twisted at the smell of alcohol on his breath.

"Were you guys drinking?"

"Shin! We bought more on the way, but we finished it…sorry bro! Next time!" Noda laughed.

"There won't be a next time!" Yankumi scolded them. "Where did you buy the alcohol so I can report them for selling to minors?"

Minami groaned. "But Yankumi! Then we wouldn't have a place to buy it anymore!"

"Guys, can I go home please? I'm super tired." Davina rubbed her head as if she were getting a headache. She slowly lifted herself off Kuma who supported her but she then stumbled into Shin's arms. "Shin, how are you sweetheart?"

Shin clenched his teeth. "We can't let her parents see her like this."

"Where's my dance bag, I've got water in there…" Davina slurred.

Yankumi rummaged through her bag to find a large bottle of water. "Thank goodness. Get them hydrated." She gave the teenager the bottle and watched her nearly gulped the entire thing.

"There won't be any for us!" Noda whined.

"We'll buy some for you. She needs to sober up."

Davina wiped her mouth. "I'm already late and I'm grounded. My parents are so gonna kill me."

Shin held her and sat her on the curb. "At least you won't be drunk when they see you."

She immediately set her head to his shoulder. She sighed, enjoying his scent.

"How long ago did you drink?" Yankumi asked the other boys.

"Half an hour ago." Minami hiccuped.

Yankumi ran her hands through her hair. She was their homeroom teacher and they were getting drunk on her watch! What would their parents think?

"Yankumi, they'll be coherent in half an hour."

"You know?"

He merely raised his brows and turned to Davina who was attempting to sleep in his lap.

"Hey, Yankumi! Whatever happened to your wig?" The boys laughed before Yankumi slapped them each on the head.

Davina curled up into Shin's lap and pulled his arm over her like a blanket.

"Stay awake, Davina." Shin needed to keep her conscious, hoping she hadn't drunken enough to be sick.

"Hmm, I want to sleep."

"Stay awake, how was your dance lesson?" He asked quickly.

"It was not my best. Ever since Inoue and Tsuchida did that… I can't dance like before."

"Did they hurt you?" Shin asked.

"Hmm, I don't wanna talk about it."

Shin grunted. Even drunk her lips were sealed.

"I don't wanna go home, my parents will kill me. Can I stay with you tonight?"

Shin snickered and moved her hair from over her eyes, which were still shut as far as he could see. She was talking though which meant she was awake. "You have to go home, but we'll wait until you've sobered up."

"No…can I just stay with you? Would your parents mind?"

"Would yours?"

"Good point."

"Shin… Why don't you ever talk about your family?"

"I don't have much to say about them."

"Not good enough." She took his arm and interlaced her fingers with his hand. She pressed his hand near her cheek. "If you're not gonna let me stay with you then just stay here with me for a while."

He didn't respond. He ran his fingers through her soft hair.

"That feels nice." Davina whispered with difficulty.

"Stay awake."

"No, I wanna sleep."

"You should have thought of that before drinking."

"You suck."

He smirked and continued to play with her hair.

* * *

Despite Shin's pestering, Davina did dose off for a few minutes at a time. Shin allowed her to, being sure to awaken her every so often. Eventually, her eyes opened and she turned to stare at Shin, wide, though red from being tired, but sober.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Alright."

"I'll have to go—

"Then I'm still drunk." Davina smiled when Shin's lips curved up.

A ringtone ruined the quiet moment and Davina groaned in annoyance. "That will probably be my parents." She checked Shin's watch. She groaned again. "God, after one in the morning… my parents are gonna kill me."

Shin helped Davina stand and gathered her bag.

"What happened to these guys?" Davina asked, referring to the line of snoring bodies with their four friends and Yankumi.

Shin rubbed the back of his neck and yawned. "They sobered up before you but wanted to stay until you went inside."

Davina rubbed her head in embarrassment. She tied up her hair, figuring it was messy. Concerned for her breath, Davina chewed on a mint. Shin realized how, in a few days, he had seen Davina so _un -_composed.

Before leaving to head for the Hardy Barracks, she hugged Shin. "Thank you," she murmured into his chest.

He gently kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about tonight. Save your energy for tomorrow."

Davina's expression twisted with annoyance. "Was that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Do you feel ready for tomorrow?"

She pulled away. "You mean later today? You know I'm not." With that she turned around to head for the next block. "I'll hail a cab for you guys," was all she muttered before going home.

* * *

That's all for now folks! Hope that leaves you satisfied and thanks for understanding that school swallowed up so much of my free time this term (ha, what free time?) You know what to do! Review and tell me what ya thought!


	21. Chapter 21: Bow to Beg

Chapter 21, woooooh! Thanks to cheri for reviewing the last chapter! :) Since there was only one review, I'm wondering if it means you guys are lazy or that it shows I was too lazy with the last chapter. Either way, I tried to take it slow with this one and get the flow just right. It's a little shorter but who cares about length really? As always, forgive me for any grammar mistakes I could not catch in my numerous checks x_x

I am taking a yakuza plot point out of the story line just for the sake of the flow. I have to keep a balance between realistic and Jdrama unrealistic. Can't go too unrealistic though I have been building it up for the last few chapters and expected to lead it on for several more chapters then bam conflict! I might share with you guys later what that particular plot point was, but for now, know that the overall ending and other parts of the story are still intact without it. After I completely pass where it would have been in the story, I'll probably share it. Sucks to have to remove after thinking about it for so long but honestly, I figured that it doesn't do much for the flow of the story or development and that I should more precious chapters building up to more important points of the story.

Anyway! Read and review, but more importantly, enjoy!

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Twenty-One: Bow to Beg

* * *

Davina had ventured off into the ground floor restrooms to check her appearance before braving the inevitable wrath of her parents. They had just ringed her again but she couldn't bear to answer. She fixed her makeup and checked her breath. Under the harsh incandescent light, her skin was dull and the area under her eyes was dark, however, she was too tired to bother.

The elevator ride upstairs was prompt; quicker than she had hoped. She had zero idea of how she was going to explain herself. How did the party girls at her school face their parents on such nights?

She saw the warm light peeking from under her front door and her stomach sunk: they were awake.

Fumbling with her keys nervously, she unlocked the door and quietly slipped through. She shut the door slowly, damning the cracking hinges. She couldn't even bear to remove her shoes for the sake of the noise. She rose en pointe and slowly made her way to her room, carefully avoiding the spots in the floor that cracked loudly from pressure. Her hand touched the knob of her door—

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Her father's voice sliced through the silence, causing her heart to skip a beat.

Already dehydrated, her mouth dried. Davina slowly turned.

Her father's features sagged with exhaustion. The area under his eyes was dark, especially in contrast by the red in his eyes.

"Where _on earth _have you been, Davina?"

She gulped for her dry mouth and throat. She couldn't even bear to face her father, ducking her head as a result. "Out with friends."

Ken fought with himself to not shout for himself and his sleeping wife. _Out with friends?! _"Do you have _any idea _how much you worried me? Your mother?! I was _this _close"—he shakily held up to fingers close together for effect—"to calling the police to report you missing. Why didn't you answer your phone?!"

Davina's knees were weak from her father's loud voice so much that had needed to lean against the wall to not shake. She couldn't explain the real reason why she hadn't answered; the mistake to leave her phone in her dance bag with Yankumi was a stupid mistake. "I just lost track of time and didn't think."

Ken rubbed his eyes in frustration. He could shout, all night, but he didn't want to do that. "Go to bed," he whispered finally, feeling unsatisfied but he saw no point in continuing.

Davina didn't hesitate. Before Ken removed his hand from over his eyes, Davina's door was already shut.

Despite being bone tired and emotionally exhausted, Ken sat there for a long time.

What happened to his little girl who had tugged his hand so she could show him what she had learned in ballet class? Suddenly he regretted not watching her dance more or taking time out of his day to spend more time with her when she had asked.

His daughter had grown up and changed as a person and for the life of him, he couldn't see when or how it started happening. For that, he blamed himself. He had moved her away from a dance school she wished to attend in New York, had she resented him for doing that to her?

Perhaps her change in behavior was a cry for help. Maybe the move to Japan had been one too many. Even Esmée, adventurous in nature, had expressed how tired she had become of moving and her difficulty in adjusting recently.

Ken, himself, was exhausted of moving all the time, always living in a different language. His single colleagues had shown better adaptability, but as a family man, things were more complicated. Perhaps, with his assumption that his family would always adapt and after the rush of the new war, Ken hadn't properly thought out their most recent relocation.

Why was it so different from before? Was it merely exhaustion? Last time they were in North America, they had firmly believed they were going to stay. Ken thought of their fourteen plus hour flight to Japan. Visiting family and friends, no matter which direction they flew, would take a whole day of traveling. Staring at the walls of his home on the island nation of Japan, Ken experienced for the first time in as long as he could remember, a lost sense of direction and distance, being _far away _from anything familiar_. _Homesickness.

Before shutting off the living room light, perhaps it was the exhaustion or his new fear of his daughter, but he had a thought: maybe, just maybe, moving to Japan had been a mistake.

* * *

The whirl of the subway engines startled the sleepy Davina and her heavy lidded eyes blinked rapidly. She had nearly dosed off again. She hadn't slept soundly the former night either from the impending appointment at the police station or her night of drinking. Those shots were certainly to thank for her pounding headache and unsettled stomach. She had swallowed some aspirin before they left for the station, but she hadn't felt the relief yet. Watching the passengers flow in and out of the train, Davina wondered if relief was possible.

Davina wanted to lean on her mother's shoulder who sat in the chair next to her, but the severity of the situation made her stiff. Davina and her parents rode the subway and not the government cars for the reason that her father worried about the army finding out and getting smack. The train shook as it sped off, which didn't help her upset stomach settle. To make matters worse, the teenager worried for her father's reputation. And perhaps another reason they rode the train was because her parents believed she had somehow instigated the assault.

Something about that thought burned in Davina's chest. All she wanted to do was to go home. Go back to bed, forget everything then wake up and meet Jayla and Mira for an afternoon coffee like they normally did on weekends. They could fret about exams and daydream about summer vacation.

None of that was possible. Davina and her parents sat in their chairs, in silence, riding the train via a route they had never used and hopefully, never again.

* * *

Yankumi somberly sat at her breakfast table despite the glow of the sun, which would normally deliver a hyper rush of energy. She sipped her tea quietly, in thought. Footsteps approaching caused the homeroom teacher to turn slowly.

"Ah, Wakamatsu. Good morning."

Second in command, Wakamatsu bowed his head and thanked her for her gesture. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Ojou. Good morning."

He sat at the other end of the table and refilled Yankumi's teacup.

"I'm not sure how to begin—

"Did you see Itou yesterday?"

He nodded his head. "Like I promised."

"Is he going to tell their clan leader of their activity?"

Wakamatsu tilted his head uneasily. "I imagine so, but the discipline is left to their clan leader."

Yankumi was internally disappointed. "So, Dabina-chan will probably still have to confess."

Wakamatsu bowed his head in defeat. "I'm sorry, Ojou."

Visibly tranquil, Yankumi gulped the rest of her tea then stood up with resolve. "It's up to Dabina-chan then; however, she'll know that she has 3-D's support."

* * *

Davina recognized the handsome officer who had dealt with her case from before. She was grateful for the familiarity despite the still grim situation. Something about his nice character was comforting; he was nice to her, unlike the policemen she had imagined.

Shinohara-san sat opposite of Davina, her parents and a translator. "We are still waiting for Tsuchida and Inoue to appear but until then, we can gather your statement."

The translator spoke English to the three foreigners, though Davina understood Shinohara well enough.

Davina's hands covered the bruises on her arms despite her sleeves. She sipped her water for her dry mouth and narrated the story from before. She had lost her temper, Davina said, and assaulted Inoue and Tsuchida when they had reprimanded her for a grammar mistake.

"That varies from Tsuchida's and Inoue's former testimony. The details at least. And your current statement does not match yours from before." Shinohara unexpectedly stated.

Davina stared at the officer, her palms like vices on her arms.

"For your conscience's sake, it is best if you do not lie." Shinohara uttered and the translator quietly translated.

Davina realized that he knew she was lying but not because her statement didn't match Inoue and Tsuchida's, but because he knew they were lying too.

An abrupt knock at the door caused Davina to exhale deeply. She settled back into her seat; she hadn't realized how stiff she had been.

Shinohara apologized then left the questioning room. Davina could hear her parents speaking stressfully to each other and the translator, but she didn't pay attention. The redhead stared at her reflection into the one way mirror, knowing that Shinohara and someone else was standing on the other side.

"Yamaguchi-sensei, and Sawada-kun" Shinohara sighed in relief. He gave a brief nod of acknowledgment to Sawada and all three of them turned to the glass showing a despondent Davina, her agitated parents and translator. Sawada was not supposed to be standing there as a minor and non-relative, yet given the situation, Shinohara quietly allowed it

"Has she budged, at all?" Yankumi crossed her arms and gazed into the glass in pity at the young student.

Shinohara shook his head. "Her story is virtually the same, but…"

"Hmm?" Shin pressed.

"As a long time investigator, I have sense of when someone is telling the facts as a witness. She speaks as someone who remembers what to say rather than someone who has seen the events. It means she is lying though she is confessing to serious charges."

Another police officer intruded on the exchange. "Shinohara-san, telephone."

"From who? Representatives of Inoue and Tsuchida?"

The officer shook his head. "The American high school's principal."

* * *

"Expulsion?! You mean expelled?!" Davina's father cried in lieu of Davina shouting aloud herself, his knuckles were white. Davina's mother cursed to herself in French through gritted teeth, on the verge of tears.

Davina dipped her head and stared at the floor tiles. Despite being unable to drone out the commotion next to her, she couldn't bear to glance over and see the disappointment in her parents' eyes.

"If your daughter's story is truthful and if her statement remains as so, then unfortunately ASIJ's officials have requested her immediate expulsion." Shinohara clearly yet sadly declared. "It is not official yet, they are awaiting the final decision in this matter."

So there was still a chance… but Davina's throat dried the instant she thought of Tsuchida's hands on her.

* * *

"Expelled?" Yankumi cried her hand closing over her mouth. Her blood boiled in her veins and she instantly needed to pace. "But they have _no evidence!_"

"In a case like this, a confession is enough evidence." Shinohara stated, quietly sighing.

"But she's not expelled yet?" Shin asked calmly. Despite his shaggy hair falling over his eyes, Yankumi could see how he stared into the glass.

"After Inoue, Tsuchida and their parents and fill out their statements… if she doesn't tell the truth by then, it will be difficult to overturn a confession."

"Sawada!" Shinohara heard Yamaguchi-sensei call out right as the door to Suminsu-tachi-san's room opened.

* * *

Davina felt what seemed like a bag of bricks on her shoulders when Shin unexpectedly stepped through the door. She immediately turned her head back to the tiles, knowing the last of her composure would be ruined if she stared at Shin any longer.

Her father, painfully confused and upset, wished to ask Shin to explain himself but couldn't formulate any form of Japanese nor could he press the translator to begin. He could barely gather an English sentence, yet he directed his worry to his daughter. "Davina—what is the meaning of this?"

"Dad, it's nothing—please." Davina muttered to the tiles, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see Shin shaking his head.

"You're good at not speaking honestly, aren't you?" Shin harshly began. "Small things, like your background, that can be forgiven—not telling anyone the manner in which we met, something we both did, your parents never heard of the details of that night—

"Davina, what is he talking about?" Davina's father interrupted.

Davina cringed but finally lifted her head to face Shin.

"You're a ballerina. You act like your life is so poised, simple, without a misstep. There's no need to pretend."

"It _is_ an act. So what? My life is a mess right now. You can't pretend that you have been one hundred percent honest with me. I don't know _anything_ about you, Shin and you don't know anything about me." Davina eyes moistened with tears but she stubbornly refused to let them touch her cheek.

The door opened again and Yankumi approached the table. She quietly took the seat next to Shin and gave a slight bow of her head to Davina's parents and the translator. "I'm sorry. I had hoped that we would have met some other way."

The translator quietly uttered the English equivalent while Yankumi placed a caring hand over Davina's on the table. "I cannot imagine the difficultly you are facing right now or the pain it will take to describe the troubling events, but I beg you to try."

The teacher bowed her head and Davina's breath hitched in her throat. A teacher would never bow for a request for a student; the translator shifted uncomfortably in her chair, and Shin stared, physically still, yet he felt humbled by the teacher's gesture. He looked to Davina whose eyes were glassy, visibly awestruck from Yankumi's profound movement, hoping she fully understood.

Head still down, Yankumi continued, "Speak about it now and I promise we will never have to discuss it again. If you don't now, you may regret it and Inoue and Tsuchida will never have to face the truth."

Slowly, the teacher lifted her chin, her face soft with utmost sympathy. The teacher smiled at Davina and the urge to withhold the secret burned away. Though initially she had felt like crying, the next emotion she experienced was relief.

She opened her mouth to speak when Shinohara walked into the questioning room.

"We still haven't received any form of communication from Inoue or Tsuchida's representation or their parents. For now all that stands is Suminu's statement. If she will wish to leave it at that, then she is free to go home to her parents."

The translator spoke slowly and carefully, realizing that Davina probably already understood but to make sure she comprehended every single word for the sake of the situation.

Free to go home? Despite his quiet demeanor, Shin nearly jumped to his feet to protest, worried that Davina would agree simply for being done with the situation. He looked to Yankumi, who was peering to the detective, brows high with concern. If Yankumi hadn't gotten through to her yet, she'd never...

"Shinohara-san...Yamaguchi-sensei," Davina began, prepared to speak Japanese despite the translator. Yankumi and Shin slowly turned back in unison, deciding to wait before protesting.

Yankumi felt Davina's hand ball into a fist under hers.

"I am sorry, but I would like to make a new statement. I would like to start over from the beginning and scrap the old one, _onegaishimasu._" Davina bowed her head, her forehead a breath away from touching the table, lower than Yankumi had bowed. At last, she blinked and the hanging tears hit her jeans like spots of rain though she hadn't produced anymore. The feeling of relief in the situation was odd yet true.

Though the notion of speaking about Tsuchida and Inoue's actions made her wish to shrink, against her chair, slowly her relief and will to confess grew to eventually outweigh her reluctance.

Her hand was gently squeezed by Yankumi. She slowly lifted her head; her pale skin was flush from the rush in her blood. "Well done." The homeroom teacher murmured.

* * *

Davina spoke simply and honestly. Despite how frightened, embarrassed and worried she had been about telling the truth, she didn't cry again after requesting a new statement. Emotion was well withheld by the stiff listeners in the room, too concerned to noisily shift in their seats. The teenager found it slightly easier to tell the story in English then how she imagined it in Japanese. She drowned out the Japanese translation from the translator, allowing the words to scramble in her head to obscure the meaning.

Shinohara documented her words calmly and without any visible sign of apprehension. Her parents were facially expressive of their disgust, however the most difficult of what they felt to express was regret. Yankumi still appeared understanding, finally at ease from the admission that Davina had reason to fight back. Shin wished he had been more verbally patient for the sake of her embarrassment.

"Any marking or bruising from the assault?" Shinohara asked, his pen scribbling fast against his records.

Davina opened her mouth but then shut it, feeling no urge to grace her next motion with a verbal explanation. She slowly pulled down her long sleeves to reveal two hand print bruises on her arms.

Yankumi and Davina's mother couldn't help but gasp at the marks. It looked as if someone gripped her forearms like vices and squeezed with all their might. Admittedly, Shinohara had imagined the possibility that it would be her word against Tsuchida and Inoue and that because of her flip-flopping, her statement would be flagged as untrustworthy. However, neither of the latter parties stated that they ever touched her. Judging by the positioning of the markings on her arms, she couldn't have done them herself.

Shinohara quickly retrieved a photographer to document the bruising.

Davina declared she was finished when she rolled her sleeves back to her wrists. Her headache was gone as was the weight on her shoulders, to be replaced with light headedness. Still, all she wanted was to go home.

Shinohara left the room then Shin heaved a sigh. Davina leaned back into her chair, realizing how stiff she had been. Yankumi cleared her throat then cover her mouth when her small silence fracture echoed in the small room.

"Davina..." Ken began. His tired face looked extra worn after Davina spoke. Though Yankumi was not the best in the English language, she listened closely wishing to fully understand. "If I had known...I'm not sure what I would have done other than break their legs—what I wanted to say...is that I'm sorry—"

Shinohara quickly returned and spoke, not seeing he interrupted Davina's father. "If the statement will be signed as it is then police department will not press charges. Without any counter statement from Tsuchida or Inoue, this case will be filed as self defense."

Yankumi blinked curiously. "Please pardon my interference, Shinohara-san…but weren't Inoue and Tsuchida supposed to have issued a formal statement over two hours ago?"

Shinohara made an uneasy noise in his throat. "They were meant to show up. We keep calling their contact information but no one has answered on either side. With one side not answering, it's no big deal but with two, it makes it difficult to _firmly _declare this as self defense. If everything stays as it is with Suminu's statement, I'm almost certain it will be dismissed."

Yankumi nodded as the translator quietly iterated for Davina's parents. "I see…and what about her high school?"

Davina found it especially peculiar that Tsuchida and Inoue hadn't showed. By chance, she peered at Shin and her wonder faded. She made note to properly ask him later.

"I'll speak with them personally and clarify the situation. I'll make sure she'll attend school tomorrow for her exams." Shinohara reassured Yankumi and Davina. "And I will...speak _sensitively _about the events that had occurred."

* * *

Davina and her parents signed the statement, confirming everything was one-hundred percent truthful and she understood the possible consequences following statement filing. While her father went off to call for US embassy transport services, Shinohara said to Yankumi and Davina that if after one week of no contact if Inoue and Tsuchida hadn't replied to their inquiries, the case would be dismissed as self defense with contention. Tsuchida and Inoue would still have the ability to file a complaint but they needed to do it before official dismissal otherwise it would be double jeopardy.

With her father gone to make a phone call and Shinohara away to finish filing, with just Shin, Yankumi and her mother who couldn't understand Japanese, Davina confronted them. "Spill. What happened yesterday and why aren't Tsuchida and Inoue here?" She demanded in Japanese.

Shin and Yankumi reactively looked at each other, trying to figure out a way to say _how _without slipping that Yankumi was connected to the Yakuza.

Much to Yankumi's gratitude, Shin was better at coming up with something. "While you were with the others last night—"

"Davina, what are you talking about?" Her mother mumbled next to her.

"...Yankumi and I drew out Tsuchida and Inoue who were waiting by the Hardy Barracks. We told them to leave the case—that we would persuade you somehow to confess and if you did, it would be immediately dismissed. I guess they couldn't even bother to show up."

Yankumi shifted easily before uttering almost too cheery and forced. "Yep, that's _all _true. That's _exactly _what happened."

Davina's brows rose suspiciously. "Well that doesn't explain—"

"Davina!" Esmee snapped. "You shouldn't keep things from your mother—"

"The car will be here soon." Ken returned, with a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I might fall asleep on the train at this rate." He yawned and Yankumi giggled when she understood his English statement.

Davina saw her parents stare at Yankumi and Shin, fully taking them both in mentally. Ken, respectfully and habitually, held out his hand to Yankumi to shake. "Thank you, sensei." Davina saw her father remember too late, judging by his immediate scuff, that the custom was to bow. However, it was too late to withdraw his hand because Yankumi was awkwardly extending hers.

They shook stiffly, though Ken hadn't imagined the lithe woman to be such a firm, strong grip. Yankumi slightly bowed her head politely at his gratitude, understanding that their depth was more profound than his simple Japanese. Ken returned the bow, obviously unpracticed, but sincere.

Esmee also thanked Yankumi and bowed politely. Despite the relief in the situation, Davina couldn't help but notice how all of the adults smiled with worn at each other, as if they mutually agreed that it was unfortunate to have met in a police station.

* * *

They proceeded outside, wishing for air and to wait for the car. Yankumi and Davina's parents were conversing in broken English and Japanese, smattering 'I don't understand' frequently in a mix of languages.

Shin and Davina strolled behind the adults. When Davina thought of her behavior over the last few days she could hardly deal with the embarrassment. "I'm sorry for how I've acted lately, Shin. I hated every minute of this whole thing but I'm glad you and Yankumi pushed me. I'm starting to realize that my coping mechanism of dealing with painful situations is simply lying and not dealing with them."

"_Wakatta. _Understood. Are you still scared of Tsuchida and Inoue?" Shin asked.

Davina smiled and took his hand. "Not at all."

He gently squeezed her hand in response. The automated doors opened and Davina lifted her chin as if to embrace the early summer's heat and sunshine. Impending summer vacation never felt so good. A brief flashback to the questioning room made Davina bit her lip.

"By the way..." Davina began quietly.

Shin leaned in with interest. "Huh?"

"What we said earlier about not being honest with each other... about not knowing anything about the other... what do you think?"

Shin thought carefully for a moment, turning his memory, playing out the confrontation mentally. Though the words had been hurtful, neither of them denied at the moment that they were true.

There was still so much Davina hadn't told him and she knew so little in retrospect about Shin. He knew ballerina Davina, the girl who performed beautifully on stage and gracefully walked in life. He had no idea about the girl back stage, outside of the spotlight. Meanwhile Davina did not know of Shin besides his poker face. Any and all information she had was given per allowance. Even his long term friends frequently admitted to not knowing much about their unassigned leader.

The moment was dismissed by the four cheering boys, parading towards them. At first Davina was alarmed by the yelling and sudden appearance of Uchi, Minami, Noda and Kuma. However, she then ran up to each of them and hugged them, not caring about the custom.

After exchanging hugs with each of them, she sighed happily at the four friends. It was refreshing to see them clad in regular clothing—however the four of them wore white headbands with unfamiliar kanji on them. Unfortunately, Davina didn't know of the word but before she could ask Noda was shouting.

"Well?! Verdict?!"

"Did you tell the truth like Shin and Yankumi said you would?" Kuma uttered candidly.

They all leaned in closely with anticipation. Before Davina could utter her answer, she nearly jumped from another wave of enthusiastic shouts.

Seeming out of nowhere, _all _the rest of 3-D marched towards the police station entrance.

All of them, Matsudaira, Hazama, Takeda, Hattori, Shimazu, Yagyu, Ooishi...everyone. She could name all of them by heart. Her parents were confoundedly by their arrival but Davina ignored their murmurs and joined the rest of 3-D with a skip in her step.

Yankumi was the closest to tears Davina had ever seen her. "You guys..." She stammered. Finally, she punched Minami playfully, yet painfully on the arm.

"AIE, Yankumi! Whoever said you could be that strong?" He groused, sorely rubbing his arm.

"Well! Verdict?!" The boys shouted.

Davina peered back to Shin then face the boys again. In a very Yankumi-like manner she extended out her arms in the form of an 'x'. With a big smile, she exclaimed the one word she had learned that day: "dismissed!"

The boys whooped happily and cheered with unrivaled enthusiasm. She got countless high-fives, more than she ever had in her life.

"Did Tsuchida and Inoue show their faces today?" Ooishi asked, pounding his fist into his palm threateningly.

Yankumi shook her head. "They're not here so if you came here for a fight, it was for naught."

The teacher watched in horror as there was a visible dip in her students' morale.

"Cowards." Yagyu muttered to himself.

Noda raised his arm to gather everyone's attention. "For Davina's innocence, I say a celebration of her freedom is in order!"

The boys raised their arms up and chorused "Yes! Hai!"

"What would you like to do in celebration, Dabina-chan?"

All of their attention seemed to focus in awe at the road and when Davina turned she saw a long black car decorated with four freely flowing American flags. Her parents were already strolling to the car before it halted in the lot.

"Mere, dad, is it alright if I stay out today?" Davina asked.

She saw her father's lips thin into a tight line on his face. "Not today Davina. Say that I'm sorry to your friends, but it has been a tiring weekend and you need to study for your exam tomorrow."

Though everyone but Shin and Davina didn't understand, they could still interpret by Davina's sudden frown.

Shin murmured over her ear. "We can reschedule. Don't worry about them."

That gave Davina a great idea. "Let's reschedule! For celebration I would like to have a baseball game!"

The boys tilted their heads, flabbergasted.

"Eh? You serious?" Shimazu asked, perplexed.

"I was thinking you would say a theatrical ballet or something..." Takeda said, scratching his head.

Davina jokingly rolled her eyes. "I'm American, come on! I like baseball too!"

A bit of a stretch. Her father loved baseball, sworn Sox fan "until he's cold in the grave" he had once said. He had her watch dozens of televised games as a child, hoping she would pick up on his love for the sport. Though she knew the rules far better than any other ballerina, she considered herself a casual fan rather than a diehard fan like her father. However with Shin as a former player, she was willing to physically give the sport a chance. Maybe she'd enjoy it more if she were actually playing.

Too distracted by 3-D's raucous, Davina didn't see Shin's smile. He tried not to indulge the possibility that the reason she wanted a baseball game was because he had mentioned his love of the sport on their first date.

Davina's parents filed into the car and left the door open for Davina. Feeling rushed, Davina said her goodbyes. "Thanks for coming to celebrate, guys. It means so much to me to see all of 3-D here." She turned to 3-D's teacher. "Thanks Yankumi, for being more caring than my own homeroom teacher."

She swung Shin's hand in her own. Come to think of it, it was the first time she was saying goodbye to Shin in such a large crowd. She _knew _the modest custom and she didn't want to embarrass Shin...

However, before giving in to her reluctance, she wrapped an arm around Shin and kissed him on his cheek. She pulled away immediately, after hearing the cries and whistling from 3-D and spun away towards the waiting car, barely catching a glimpse of Shin's undeniable smirk. Energized, she skipped to the car, her blush-prone skin tomato red to her hairline.

When she sat in the car, she was laughing. Her parents peered strangely at her as the car door shut. "What was the shouting and whistling all about, Davina?"

Despite promising herself to be more honest in life, she readily dismissed her parents' concerns, unprepared to outright say she had kissed Shin. "Oh, they were just happy the case was dismissed." She briefly wondered if her parents believed her but for the rest of the drive home, Davina frequently smiled to herself as she gazed at her window.

* * *

The last days of Davina's junior year of high school were short yet stressful as Davina fought to keep her excited mind off summer vacation long away to complete her exams. Though Davina was normally unconfident about her schoolwork, she knew she aced her Japanese exam. She spoke with ease for the verbal part and breezed through the kanji and written portion.

The rest of her examinations went on without hitch. Davina jumped into Jayla's arms when they were released after their math final.

They joined Mira by her locker as the short girl finished cleaning it out. She threw some scrap pencils and papers into her bag as they gleefully relaxed as the flow of students headed towards the exits.

"Summer is here at last!" Mira yelled into her locker before slamming it shut. They proceeded towards the exit, managing to travel together despite the crowds, occasional crying and hugging.

"Is that gonna be us this time next year?" Jayla pointed to two familiar senior girls, weeping in each other's arms.

Davina cringed. "Too soon, Jay."

"We're seniors now, girls. Graduation is officially only a matter of time."

"Can we wait until _after _summer vacation?" Mira uttered. "I'm going to Alaska for a week in a couple of weeks—I really wish I had convinced them instead for Hawaii. That brings me to my point—we should go on holiday."

Jayla and Davina chirped up at the idea.

"But it will have to be domestic! My parents won't be keen on me going somewhere international without them."

"But you'll be eighteen soon..."

After their recent situation...Davina knew the vacation would have to be later in the summer, after things calmed down. "That's what I keep telling them."

"It has to be warm. The rainy season here is sure to drive me insane once it really kicks off." Jayla added and the girls nodded.

"Hey, Davina!"

The three girls turned away and Davina recognized Sam strolling towards them with his book bag.

He politely greeted Jayla and Mira. The four of them quickly exchanged woes about exams and their happiness of being free for the summer.

"Er, Davina, do you mind if I asked you something?" Sam asked, indicating that he ask her without the company of her friends.

Davina awkwardly adjusted a piece of hair that was tucked under her bag strap. "Um, sure."

Together they stepped a few paces away from Jayla and Mira who watched keenly.

Sam was nervously attempting to seen relaxed. "Um, I'm not sure if your father spoke with you, but he recommended that I speak to you about getting to know this city."

Davina nodded her head, adjusting her strap again on her shoulder.

"Well, I was sort of wondering if you could show me around—tell me what places are good and which ones need to be avoided. I haven't really seen much of Tokyo yet, with the moving and schooling and that train system is a nightmare to sort through—"

Davina exhaled a laugh.

Sam accepted the laugh as a sign of good response. "If you have time, will you show me?"

The redhead peered to her friends then back to Sam. His brown eyes had remained on her, waiting patiently. "Sure, my friends and I were talking about doing an all around tour of Tokyo to celebrate the end of junior year—"

Sam gulped. "Actually, Davina, I have sort of hoping...that"—he struggled to find the right wording—"maybe...it could—"

"Be just the two of us?" Davina finished for him, her voice just above a murmur.

Sam nodded slightly. "Yeah. Just the two of us."

Davina peered down to the floor, feeling bad for Sam but she thought only of Shin. "I'm sorry but I can't accept. I'm with someone at the moment—I believe you met him."

Sam casually, forced albeit, shrugged his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, you said his name was Shin, right?"

Davina nodded her head, sad that his stance was progressively becoming more shakily and visibly crushed. However bad she felt, she simply could not accept. Sam wanted a date. Even if she went with him on the naive assumption of staying friends, she still knew he wanted more.

By then, the halls were mostly empty with the only stationary individuals being Mira, Jayla, Davina and Sam.

Though internally crushed, Sam still had his dignity. "I understand. Knowing that you have a boyfriend, it says something about your character for the fact that you said no. I appreciate your sincerity and I hope we can remain friends."

"Of course." Davina answered before peering over to Jayla and Mira then back to Sam. "I'll see you around the base."

"And I'll see you at your father's promotional gathering this weekend. Tell him congratulations for me."

Davina smiled in gratitude. "I will, thank you." She slowly walked away and rejoined Mira and Jayla.

Sam watched as the girls proceeded down the hall with an inch of hope that Davina would turn around and look at him. Despite already being crushed, something more ached after Davina turned the corner with her friends and never peered back at him.

He hadn't been sure of what he was expecting when he decided to ask Davina out. He knew she had a boyfriend. He had met the guy. Another dull pain was the obvious fact that he had just barely missed out. Had he been a few days quicker, he could be strolling to the Hardy Barracks with her at the moment.

Faced with the fact of her boyfriend and her rejection, Sam was still reluctant to had completely surrender. He wouldn't persist her away, but he would remain nearby as her friend and army base acquaintance. Sam had sensed Srgt Summons' disapproval of her current relationship and in a strange way that gave him hope. The teenager wouldn't wish for her to experience pain in her relationship but he trusted her father's judgment. He was strict, disciplined, but very reasonable—all characteristics Sam admired. Though Srgt Summons never forthrightly declared it, Sam could tell the soon to be Sergeant Major liked him. Why else would a father recommend that a young man speak with his daughter? With that, Sam was able to shrug his bag over his shoulder then head for home with renewed resolve.

Even if Davina rejected Sam over Shin, there was still something he had that Shin didn't—her father's approval.

* * *

That chapter ended better than I originally thought it would. I am excited to begin the next set of conflict in this story. Oh their summer is going to be drama-filled! And Megan642, episode 7 will start after one more chapter but with a twist of course! Baseball, Davina's father's promotion and Yuki will be in the next chapter :)


	22. Chapter 22: Reciprocation

Thank you for your glorious patience, folks! I must have rewritten this chapter four times… some bits of the other drafts are going into other chapters, whatever I didn't like got discarded. This chapter is a 'build-up' chapter so tiny hints need good placement, ya know?

Quick thanks to Hikapyon, Cheri, Megan642, Lady Syndra, Guest, Kace, and Kin Pandun for your kind words on the last chapter :) I also answered a few questions in the end author's note so scroll down if you're interested.

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Twenty-Two: Reciprocation

* * *

Kenneth stretched his arms, shoulders and neck as he proceeded into his kitchen. Despite his stress from his approaching promotional ceremony, Ken slept much easier with the settlement of Davina's legal troubles and the end of her school term.

Esmée, as usual, was enjoying her morning coffee and Davina was awake though still in her pajamas. His daughter picked at the flacks in her pastry while she studied laptop screen with obvious interest.

He nearly reached for the coffee pot when he heard the soft cries of a crowd and the sharp voice of an announcer. He peered around his daughter's chair to see her screen and cleared his throat. "Are those Yankee team colors I see?"

The girls panned slowly over to Ken with uncertainty. Even as a strong, disciplined, mature man of the military, Ken could throw a temper tantrum like a spoiled, entitled toddler when it came to baseball _and _the New York Yankees.

"Good morning to you too." Esmée scuffed with a roll of her eyes. She went back to her newspaper.

Davina nibbled a piece of melon on her fork. "_Yes dad_, it's the Yankees but they're playing against the Sox. It's just a playlist of random clips."

Maybe it was the early morning but Ken veered away to pour his coffee while slowly digesting his daughter's words. When the pot touched the counter, the thought struck him: Davina was spending her summer vacation _watching baseball._

As if his wife could read his mind, Esmée had luckily glanced over at the right moment to catch the surprise wash over his face. She hiked her brows with a smile as if to say _absurd, I know!_

Ken took a quick bite out of a pastry and dragged a chair next to Davina to watch the clips. Watching the swift movements of the players ignited a joyous rush in his blood. He finally noticed a paper pad with pen scribbles next to Davina's plate.

"Study aids?"

"Yep, just some notes for our baseball game." Davina answered, her eyes fixed to the screen.

"Baseball game?" Ken repeated.

The incredulity in Ken's voice hadn't dawned on Davina who continued to nibble slowly at her breakfast. She answered with a flaky bite of pastry. "Yep, me, Shin, Yankumi, and his school mates are gonna play at one of the local fields where they hold young leagues. Yankumi said it's good practice for their upcoming sport's day."

Ken was unsure of what emotion to feel, happy that Davina was enjoying something he loved or uneasy about her spending more time with the group that had _at least by indirect association _gotten her into legal trouble.

"Are Jayla and Mira going?" Esmée asked routinely.

"They already had plans, but they might drop by later." Davina dully replied, expecting the question.

"Maybe invite Samuel along." Ken suggested, earning a subtle eye-rolling from Esmée.

Davina pretended she was too focused on her laptop to acknowledge her father's earnest expression. She wasn't _really _that keen on explaining her father exactly why inviting Sam along would go against her recent declaration that they were only friends. "Maybe, it's really short notice though, since they booked the slot for this Saturday night."

Esmée and Ken met eyes, though their question of Davina's sudden interest in sports hadn't left entirely, Saturday night posed a problem.

Esmée folded her newspaper and asked in English so her husband could absolutely understand. The language change alone indicated to Davina something was amiss. "Davina, what time on Saturday? It won't conflict with your father's promotional ceremony, right?"

Davina thought back to their discussion of game planning and vaguely remembered confusion on the exact clock time, but recalled their slot being booked sometime in the evening on Saturday… approximately the same time as her father's promotional ceremony. The gears in Davina's head put the two together and she swallowed hard.

She finally moved her eyes away from her screen and faced her parents. Davina slowly shut her brightly lit laptop as the natural light in the living room became by accumulating grey rain clouds outside. The absence of light was her saving grace as she could hide the guilty admission on her face that she had in fact stupidly forgotten about her father's promotional ceremony. Or rather had forgotten that the ceremony was so soon.

"Of course if the game conflicts with the ceremony, I'll skip it." Davina uttered with resolve, hiding her disappointment about the game.

Eager to change the topic and not allow her husband to become sensitive about Davina forgetting his ceremony, Esmée set down her newspaper and said, "Speaking of Jayla and Mira, have you girls talked much about your senior year?"

"A bit. Mira is applying for school back in the states. Jayla is thinking about staying here for university to do an English program or possibly attempt a full program in Japanese."

Impressed, Esmée's brows hiked with an eager nod. "I had no idea her Japanese was so proficient."

"She speaks better than some of the teachers at ASIJ who have taught there for years."

"Incredible." Esmée managed, dipping her English into her natural French accent. "Have you introduced Jayla and Mira to Shin and your other Japanese guy friends yet? I bet Jayla and probably Mira could communicate with them easily—"

"Have you had a thought about what you're going to do for your senior year, Davina?" Ken interrupted, helping himself to a pastry.

Davina fought back a roll of her eyes. Despite Davina's knack to sugarcoat the truth, she had _never _kept her future plans a secret from her parents. "S.A.B will be holding auditions this fall and I plan to go for that."

"Well, you know our recommendation, Davina." Ken said without acknowledging his wife who agreed. They had had the 'ballet versus college' conversation countless times. They truly wanted Davina to have what she wanted in a ballet career but an academic background, in addition to her dancing, could offer her the security she needed. The Davina they knew and raised, fortunately and unfortunately, had never suffered from insecurity.

Competitive ballet was erratic and what would happen if Davina couldn't cut it physically and emotionally? Perhaps it was a little arrogance or blissful ignorance…or maybe Davina was not fully letting on that she really understood just _how hard _it would be to make it in ballet.

Esmée and Kenneth had faith in their daughter's abilities, but part of them wondered if Davina was accepted, could she stand the nitty-gritty of the ballet world? Not that Esmée or Kenneth were experts of the _ballet _world, but they dealt with politics and military. As glamorous as ballet seemed, their experienced lives had taught them that nothing was as glamorous as it seemed. In order to survive in their positions, they had to be smart, diligent, yet negotiable. Coworkers and superiors had needs and in their jobs, they were well versed in the art of reciprocation. Many times _they_had wanted to give up everything when it seemed too hard and had they relented, what would have happened?

"Davina, your school counselor rang me and asked me if we had discussed your future plans at length yet." Esmée said.

The teenager sulked in her chair, predicting the outcome of the phone call. It had seemed _ages _since that counselor meeting…and she hadn't touched the brochures she had given her.

"I said, yes…my daughter wants to become a ballerina." Esmée declared, causing Davina to rise in posture with disbelief and interest. "I also said that we negotiated and that in exchange for allowing her to continue her ballet lessons and while on her path to become a professional dancer, she would also apply to a few universities as a safety crutch. Her father and I would be more than happy to help her in any way possible to achieve her dream, but as a smart young lady, she'll keep her options and her mind open."

Davina pressed her back against the chair again with a straight expression as her parents faced her, awaiting a response. It wasn't enough that she had _never _favored the thought of going to university. Her parents thought she could do well in academia judging by her grades, but she did her homework in a timely manner, otherwise she'd have to stop doing ballet.

She slightly smiled and nodded her head in concession. Her parents weren't forcing her to attend university, just to apply. If a few applications and college essays were enough to temporarily get her parents off her back, Davina would gladly reciprocate for more lessons and easier negotiations for when the harder training began.

Davina excused herself, saying that she needed to ready herself to meet Mira and Jayla. Though they weren't meant to meet for several hours, Davina decided to leave early to pick up a few new pairs of pointe shoes and speak with Madame.

* * *

The senator exhaled as he briskly exited the adjourned meeting with his colleagues. He turned away as a few members of his party patted each other on the shoulder with congratulations. The senator walked faster, taking out his mobile to pretend to busy himself with something else. He couldn't understand the glee; his party hadn't accomplished anything of what they had set out to do.

They had voted on a number of bills, the largest being the anti-yakuza provisions, which would have barred yakuza-associated lobbyists. Of course, the law got shut down by the very people they were trying to restrict. Too many people, in the government and public, believed the yakuza to be a necessary evil. Something the senator himself wasn't sure if he fully opposed.

The yakuza had accomplished what they had set out to do through their mastery of reciprocation. He was sure that he would see a few of his colleagues driving around in nicer cars sometime soon… Humorlessly, the senator thought, if the yakuza did fulfill their promises to their bought politicians, the criminals were probably more trustworthy than the Diet's other allies.

With the world uneasy about the war in the Middle East and with individual Japanese citizens volunteering as soldiers, Japan was uncertain about its role. The world's second largest economy was still pulling itself out of the recession of the 1990s. Frighteningly, Japan's ally, the United States, was waging unpopular wars and overextending its power. The 'with us or against us' mentality was worrisome as an ally and Japan was almost at the edge of its seat with apprehension, wondering what the unwieldy giant would do next. Where was the room for equal reciprocation? How much political currency would Japan lose if one day they could not follow through with military favors to its ally?

The senator recognized that he and his party needed to become aggressive, indigenous, assertive—the Yamato spirit—not only within the Diet, but to all of Japan. It was harder to decide which was bleaker, becoming a yes-man puppet or being crushed by the giant?

The senator sighed again in contemplation as he faced a long foggy window. He could concede with the yakuza continuing to poke like a thorn in the Diet's side as long as they could be trusted to hold Japan in their grand interests. There were bigger fish to fry. Tiny splatters of rain popped like heated popcorn on the glass, increasing in frequency as the sky darkened. Summer was knocking at the door.

* * *

"You have impeccable timing, Suminsu-chan." Madame Fujioka greeted to her student. Luckily, Davina had found Madame speaking with the receptionist before running back to her office. "However, I've been the one who is late, I apologize."

"I'm not sure I follow…" Davina said as she noticed Madame eying her pointe shoe bag.

"Are those new?" Madame asked to see the boxes and Davina readily offered. Madame's tone clarified as she spoke louder and Davina realized that Madame had thought she had misunderstood her Japanese.

The instructor audibly _hmm_'ed as her fingers trailed under the two brand names. She murmured under her breath, "French _and _Russian." Madame took a shoe each out of the boxes and compared them side by side. The new, unbroken-in ballet slippers were long and heavy from the stiff toe box and shank, but the clean pink satin looked delicately soft and shiny. There were only a few differences between the different sets of shoe, slightly different tones of pink, varied threads of shininess, the French shoe had a ribbon drawstring instead of the Russian canvas string and the Russian shoe was slightly wider.

"You wear two makers? Is there a reason?" Madame asked, as she checked the insoles of the shoes. Madame peered up with an 'ah' of realization, as if she remembered that she had jabbered off in Japanese instead of switching to English.

Before Madame could pose her question in English, Davina responded in Japanese. "Well, the French brand I can move easily in, however, they soften too quickly. The Russian set is stiffer and last longer, but they are stiffer to move in. I switch the shoe I wear depending on the sort of dancing I'm doing for the day."

"Hmm," Madame responded as she replaced the shoes in the bag. Davina was unsure if it was a response to her Japanese use or that she used two shoe makers.

"Do you mind staying a little later on Saturday and I'll be able to properly answer your questions? Other girls had the same questions so it's best if I answer them all together. Also bring those shoes and an old pair of each, if you have them. Will that be alright?"

"Yes Madame that will be fine." Davina nodded, took her bags and headed for the door.

"By the way, your Japanese is quite good, Dabina-chan. Do you plan on becoming fluent?"

Davina halted at the open door, caught off guard by the question and by being called by her first name. She thought of Shin, Yankumi, Noda, Uchi, Kuma and Minami and for the sake of imagination, indulged the scenario of speaking to them in flawless, fluent Japanese. "As fluent as I can become I suppose."

Speculation flashed in Madame's dark eyes as she cupped her chin. The teacher looked Davina up head to toe as if seeing the student all over again for the first time. She moved her lips, softly murmuring notes under her breath. Suddenly the teacher smiled with enthusiasm. "Very well. I'm glad I'm aware of your ambitions."

* * *

"Was that all she said?" Jayla said to her friends as she handed some yen to a crêpe street vendor. The mixer folded the thin pancake over the warm chocolate syrup, berries and ice cream. He had been amazed when the young teenager had asked in proficient Japanese for extra strawberries with slightly warm syrup.

"Yep, I found the entire exchange a little strange." Davina patted her closed umbrella to shake off the droplets of rain. The drizzle had stopped, just in time for Jayla and Mira's appetite to return and insist that they buy crepes.

The vendor handed the crêpe to Jayla. She thanked him and threw off her raincoat hood. She bit into the warm crêpe and shut her eyes to relish the delightful taste.

Mira was cumbersome with her Japanese, pointing at the menu and slowly uttering her fruit extras unlike the silky flow of Jayla's order. "Strange indeed," Mira answered Davina as the mixer made the crêpe. "Are you sure you don't want one?"

Davina shook her head though she hadn't eaten since breakfast. "I'll save my appetite for when I see Shin later. We'll probably eat something. And my clothes are a little tighter lately."

Her friends nodded in understanding.

"We at least have a bite of mine. You don't have to cut back entirely."

"I'm sure you'll be fine once you return to your regular dance schedule."

"If Madame does start speaking to me about training for a company, I should fill my body with nutrients, not junk."

"But ice cream is a nutrient." Jayla blabbed with a mouth full of crêpe, strawberries and syrup.

"Girls, do you mind if we get out of this drizzly humid oven? Preferably somewhere dry where my hair won't frizz more than it already has…" Mira paid the vendor and got her crêpe.

"My place is closest. I bet my dad will sigh in relief since I don't have a boy over…"

Jayla laughed while taking another bite of her crêpe and managed to get a chocolate syrup stain on her beige raincoat. "Your dad sounds like my dad and my older brother."

"It's a transition for your dad. He's going to hate anyone and everyone you show him." Mira said.

"Except Sam…" Davina muttered, thinking of how she still hadn't told him yet of how she couldn't invite Sam for the stroll in Tokyo like she promised.

On the busy street, even without the drizzle, umbrellas were out and open. Jayla and Mira huddled close to Davina, partly to hear her murmur and partly due to the traffic. Mira and Jayla had matching expressions of incredulity.

"I know you said your dad favored Sam over Shin, but I always thought you were exaggerating. Does your dad really want to date an army-raised boy like you?" Mira asked as they veered through the plaza.

"Could be the familiarity aspect. Sam is someone your dad can speak with and relate to…not sure of how good Shin's English is or how good your dad's Japanese is…." Jayla said, rubbing at the stubborn stain on her coat with a napkin.

"Your guess is as good as mine Jayla." Davina uttered, absently glancing at the coolly dressed mannequins at shop doors. She bit her lip, _well actually_. In trying to keep her promise and be more transparent, Davina uttered, "well, Shin and his friends are a little thuggish. That might be making my dad uncomfortable."

Davina heard Mira nearly choke on her crêpe. "Thuggish?! I would definitely say that _could just maybe _explain why your dad is seeking the cleaner-cut, more familiar alternative."

"You would know." Jayla quipped.

"I _do _know." Mira added sincerely. "Why do you think I haven't been on a date in a while? It's not worth the hassle of filtering him through my now-overly paranoid father. Dare I say? He has gotten worse over time."

"Thuggish was too harsh of a word. They look thuggish when you first see them but they turned out to be more loyal and sincere than clean-cut Tatsuya. If my dad knew Shin more, I know he would like him."

Jayla and Mira frowned uneasily. Mentioning that _jerk _Tatsuya seemed too soon, like ripping off a bandage from a cut that was still healing. That former Sunday after Davina returned home from the police station, she had phoned Jayla and Mira and immediately said, "I made a promise today to act more transparent in my life with my friends and family." She told them _everything—_how she met Shin, Tatsuya, Inoue, Yankumi's disguise and dedication to her even as a non-3-D student, hanging out with Uchi, Minami, Noda and Kuma, Noda loving Fujiyama, 3-D's success despite 3-C's doubt, Murosaki and Kuma, and her parents, namely her father's annoying concern about Shin_._

Jayla and Mira were taken aback by Davina's purge and then informed each other about things plaguing their own lives—Jayla and the pressure from her brothers and parents and Mira's jealously and rivalry with her academically talented sister. They each kept saying how they shouldn't stay longer on the phone, due to their exams, but the three girls managed to talk for three hours.

Any discussion that each girl normally swept under the rug was shared, akin to spring cleaning (despite it being summer time). Despite discussing difficult circumstances, Davina's stomach was no longer twisted in knots, from sharing her issues and hearing the honest confessions from her friends.

"From what I have heard of Shin, he sounds wonderful." Jayla softly reassured Davina, earning a nod from Mira.

"I would agree _only if you would allow us to meet him already._" Mira jabbed Davina's side with humor.

"You're right. I would let you girls meet him today…except that we haven't hung out alone in a while."

"I would be concerned if I were your dad." Mira joked.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Davina hiked a brow.

"It means we can pitch in for a love motel if necessary." Jayla chuckled even as Davina lightly shoved her.

* * *

Uchi, Kuma, Minami, and Noda pressed themselves so tightly against the field cage that the metal squares were imprinting red lines across their faces. Their sneakers, from squashing together at the fence, were sinking into the mud, but they didn't care.

They had gone to practice early since they were going to hold a 3-D baseball game the coming Saturday evening—the only real-time they could secure free field time in between the leagues. So much for practice though, the four boys were hopelessly mesmerized by the female baseball team. One pitcher in particular.

"She is wayyyyyy too pretty to be that good of a player." Minami mused and the others sighed in agreement.

The girl honed in, the field was silent except for the adjustment in the batter's grip and the pitcher's deep inhale of breath. She stared unblinkingly at the batter before circling her arm rhythmical and releasing the ball. The batter swung with all her might but the baseball pounded into the umpire's glove.

"Strike three!"

Had the four boys blinked they would have missed the entire exchange. The batter grunted, flashing her teeth in frustration. The beautiful pitcher adjusted her hat and caught the ball thrown by the umpire. Her lips curved up under the brim of her hat. She sighed calmly, still focused despite it being her second outing for that inning. One more and it would be their turn to bat.

The four boys were drooling as they stared unashamedly at her long silky black hair, tied up in a ponytail. She had big brown eyes and an oval-shaped face. When her baseball mates congratulated her for second outing, she revealed a humble dimpled smile. The boys melted.

She turned away to her first base and outer field mates and the boys saw her surname on her jersey.

"Yoshida." They all mused harmoniously. In their minds the sun was high and warm, birds were chirping, children were dancing and laughing and their sweet angel, named Yoshida was skipping over to confess her undying love while batting her long lashes.

"Heh? Come to think of it…I think she has been on the local news. Something about possibly becoming the first Japanese woman to turn pro in baseball—gonna play in America after graduating high school." Noda recalled, wondering if that _angel _on the field was the same girl from the local news story.

"I'm going to talk to her." Minami unattached himself from the cage and like a love struck zombie began to proceed to their team side.

Uchi and Noda pursed their lips at their friend than each other. "No! I'm going to talk to her!"

They glared at each other with large white eyes and gripped each other tightly at the collars.

Another player marched to bat and after three swift movements from the maverick pitcher, the batter tossed her bat in aggravation as the umpire called strike three and the end of the fifth inning.

She was _extremely _good. As her mates ran off to prepare for batting, Yoshida was the last to leave the field, her movements smooth and without hint of exhaustion.

The boys continued to stare on with bated breath, imagining the perfect line, compliment, opener to speak with Yoshida.

"Ah! Good! You boys are taking tips from seasoned players!" Chirped a cheery interruption of their train of thought.

The boys in unison gaped at Yankumi, who suddenly stood beside out of seemingly nowhere, as she beamed at the players with admiration. The young teacher was unaffected by the glares of annoyance and disbelief from her pupils as she smiled approvingly under her clear plastic umbrella.

"Eh? There are only four of you?" Yankumi did a quick tally of the boys. "Ah! Where's Sawada?"

"Don't know." Noda shrugged.

"Told him what we were doing, and he wasn't interested." Uchi answered, as he flipped his phone out. He positioned the phone camera delicately along the fence and zoomed in.

Yankumi quickly smacked her student across the head. "Don't be crude!"

"Iya! Yankumi! It's blurry now!" Uchi missed Yoshida as she congregated with her teammates, disappearing in the crowd. "Missed her."

"You boys, girls don't like feeling like they're being stalked. If you like her so much, you should go over there and talk with her. With four of you, so four tries, one of you is bound to succeed." She curled her hand into a fighter's fist. "Project: win beautiful pitcher's heart, fight-o oh!"

Yankumi was already proceeding forward, assuming her students were walking behind her to introduce themselves to the female team. With any luck, they would meet other girls they fancied more than the pitcher so they could be happy. However, if she knew her students well, _and as their homeroom teacher she definitely knew her students preferences in girls,_ they had pretty taste.

The teacher saw a few of the girls peer at her speculatively and curiously and felt too much of their attention rested solely on her. It was as if…she turned around and saw the backs of her students sauntering away down the field.

She shook her head and smacked her lips. "Cowards."

* * *

"If you apply to Waseda or Keio or Todai, what will you do about their spring term which starts while we're still in high school?" Davina asked Jayla as they ambled through Roppongi. With Jayla and Mira with her in broad daylight, it was hard to place her fear. Roppongi at night was a different story, of course, but it felt freeing to gaze at the bright urban fixtures and tall buildings without apprehension.

Though she still was not 100% at ease with strolling through there at night, it was hard to not slowly change her feelings towards it. Roppongi had been the place where she was attacked by dodgy clubbers, but it was also how she had met Shin.

Jayla bit her lip and pressed her palms together as if to beseech forgiveness from her friends. "I've talked about it with some students and though I haven't officially gotten permission from our counselor, I'm going to finish my classes early. I'll still attend graduation with everyone, but I'll just finish my classes three months earlier."

Davina and Mira stared at their friend with wide eyes and then at each other, waiting for a punch line. They proceeded up the hill away from the clubbing and nightlife area to the residential area surrounding the Hardy Barracks.

"Why rush into university immediately after high school? Don't you wanna enjoy summer?" Mira asked.

"There might not be any need to worry. If I don't do well on the JLPT, I'll have to wait with everyone else."

"Why not do English-conducted programs like the rest of us?"

"You know I want to stay in Japan. My family is possibly going to Singapore or Seoul in three years so I would like to remain in Asia."

"Your Japanese will be more than ready for the JLPT this winter. And I'm sure you'll get into any program you want." Davina reassured Jayla.

"How can you be so sure?"

"The same reason you think I'm absolutely getting into S.A.B. Blind hope."

Mira sighed. "At least you girls aren't totally inept at Japanese. My parents are really getting onto me about studying more Japanese. The more they nag the _less_ I want to learn it. _Why can't you be like Lizzie and practice? It would be a good skill to have when you're applying for jobs._" Mira's tone became shrill and exaggerated to mimic her parents.

"When you were dating your last boyfriend, you used great Japanese." Jayla pointed out, much to Mira's embarrassment.

"Mind telling my parents that then, Jay?"

When the two guards at the gate become visible, Davina started fishing for her military civilian identity card. With the card in her hand, a rushed voice imploring in rapid Japanese caused her to look up.

"You _must _let me know if he is here. Please. I don't know what rank, but I know his name. Mark Schmidt."

As the girls approached the gate, Davina could see the person speaking was a teenager, maybe a middle school student, dressed casually in slacks. His cheeks were flat, jaw mostly square, auburn hair and he and Davina were about the same height.

The guards noticed Davina and her friends then glanced back at the other teenager with slight irritation and impatience. "I will not repeat myself again. I cannot for security clearance purposes disclose private information. Unless you can establish relation, I cannot tell you anymore."

The boy stared daggers at both guards, lingering for a moment as if to hope for a change of heart. Finally, he sighed heavily in defeat then trudged down the hill, almost breaking into a run. Davina caught another closer look at his face before he stared down at his shoes, allowing his hair to fall over his face. His eyes were a remarkable green-hazel, something that was immediately interest as Davina rarely saw green eyes, except her own, in Japan.

Unsure if due to his stark eye color or the pure desperation in his voice, but Davina wondered long after going home, why would a Japanese teenager be asking for US military personnel? Equally important, why would he be seeking him so desperately?

* * *

Shin trailed his finger along the book titles, stopping when he found the one he was browsing for. He flipped through the text, satisfied with the varied language and style of writing. If Davina's friend was attempting the JLPT, reading that book relatively easily would mean that she was more than ready.

It was a college level book. The JLPT was essentially asking a foreigner to learn Japanese so well that she could probably best some members of 3-D…

Davina had promised that he would meet her friends formally soon. Shin wondered momentarily if it was a good idea to eventually introduce her friends to his…and then he remembered first introducing Davina to 3-D…

Introducing Davina to 3-D seemed like ages ago and it was remarkable how much and how quickly things had changed. There were no more questions of if or why a foreign refined redheaded _girl _was hanging out with the _gomi_ as Headteacher snidely dubbed them. She had integrated into his group, again, something that was no longer questioned or speculated. The English exam was over, Inoue and Tatsuya were over and they were all still friends. Better friends in fact.

The only speculation left was the scope determination of his romantic relationship with Davina—thankfully, however, the business of that was only between him and her. Recently they had both confessed to not being completely transparent with one another. Given how they deceived others in their lives about their meeting, Shin shouldn't have been so surprised. He wasn't so innocent himself; he had his own skeletons in the closet.

However, he would not, under any circumstances be able to divulge Yankumi's secret, which was difficult. Inoue and Tatsuya's sudden compliance after lying for two days and then Yankumi finding how Inoue's association with the yakuza all pointed to something fishy…perhaps Davina herself wasn't keen on seeking out the whole truth.

Shin remembered with a smirk how Yankumi dressed herself up for that night. The tacky outfit, bad wig, stereotypical French beret…

_"Saa…Shin-chaaaan…" _Shin cringed when his memory replayed Yankumi's loud, shrill mimicry of a teenage girl. He fought back a smile, however, an urge he hadn't felt once the whole night. He also remembered how he gingerly put his arm around Yankumi for the sake of the charade, sure that Inoue and Tsuchida wouldn't be _that _stupid. Even her way of walking was dorky and too sturdy, like a robot. Again however, the absurdity suited her. She couldn't pretend to be soft footed and graceful like Davina, but it was remarkable alone that she cared enough about a non-3-D student to try.

His train of thought was interrupted by a rhythmic phone alert. Aka-chan. A message asking where and what precise time to meet and even a few suggestions in flowing Japanese. He suddenly thought back to that sleepy morning when he first strolled into 3-D, sure that he and his friends would unravel the annoying pig-tailed pest and back when he introduced a girl with little Japanese to his class of thugs, certain she'd run away.

Remarkable, he concluded. Truly remarkable if Shin was able to concede wholeheartedly that he was proven wrong. Twice.

* * *

A short one folks. Length doesn't matter so much surely? It was almost a Shin-free chapter and I realized we couldn't have that. Wouldn't be natural.

Here's my attempt to answer some reviewer questions (and in a not so subtle way tip-toe around really answering them…;)) Thank you hikapyon, I'm glad to hear from a military brat! Hope I'm doing _some _justice to the lifestyle ^^; If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it! Megan642…all I'm gonna say is *wink* at this point. I could say more but that would really give it at away like a particular Red Hot Chili Peppers song... Kin Pandun, she will meet her great-grandfather and of course her and Shin will hang out more in the summer :) Slight spoiler alert, but summer festivals and holiday trips are coming up ;)

Anyway, hope you all liked it and I hope you stick around to read the next one when it's ready :) Any criticism or comments (sans flames) are welcome!


	23. Chapter 23: Shinrai 信頼

I rambled a tad in this one ^^; Okay, not a tad, a LOT. This is by far my longest chapter. I was having too much fun :P Dare I say that I am more satisfied with this chapter than I have been in a while.

Disclaimer: Not betaed but I've read over this chapter so many times I'm sure I could recite it verbally from memory...and not that I caught all of my grammar mistakes ^^; I know zilch about the army, rankings, promotions, etc, so pardon any unintentional misuse of the system or terms ^^;

Quick thanks to Lady Syndra and Kin Pandun for reviewing the previous chapter :) Kin Pandun, to answer your questions... Madame will talk to them about becoming pro (admittedly couldn't fit it into this chapter) but she does have an another potential proposition for Davina, but you won't understand why until much later... And Davina's friends will meet Shin but it won't be for a while... because things are going to get busy again ;)

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Twenty-Three: Shinrai/信頼

* * *

"Shin..._no..._shinrai 信頼 means reliance, faith... Eru means to acquire, honto describes faith in this context...'true faith...acquired'—"

"You read like a toddler." Shin interrupted curtly, flipping through a book and placing it back on the shelf.

After hanging out with Mira and Jayla, Davina met Shin at the massive bookstore near Tokyo station, for which Davina extraordinarily found the right station exit without getting lost. It was an odd destination for alone time, but it was too late in the day to invite Shin over. Her dad would freak out again. They wandered through the shelves, choosing random books and reading, exchanging a peck here and there, shoving, leaning on arms, embracing, hand holding—any excuse to touch. They frequently moved shelves due to readers twitching and groaning at them passive aggressively.

They explored the ground floor in the massive Japanese general fiction section. Shin had sped to the shelves, easily finding his favorites. Meanwhile Davina had trouble figuring out the dewy decimal system in Japanese… However, even when she did figure out how to find books, she had zero idea _which _books to find. A ocean of kanji compounds she never hoped to read stacked row upon row, intimidating the rudimentary Japanese reader. She barely knew of any good Japanese authors…

Out of chance, and probably desperation, she actually recognized a name despite her sad lack of Japanese literature exposure: 村上 春樹 Murakami, Haruki.

Davina poked Shin's temple to gently shove him away without peering up from her book. "You're not gonna distract me again. Not losing my place to your antics _again_."

Shin hovered over her shoulder and swept her long hair from her shoulder to her back. His fingers brushed along her hairline behind her ear, triggering a ripple through her. The reflex, however involuntary, was enough to lose her place yet again.

"It's obvious that Murakami was influenced by Western writers." Shin murmured, leaning in closer as if to read over hers shoulder. Davina realized he was referring to a Dickens reference on the page, but she couldn't think clearly with his warm breath blowing at her neck or his hand waltzing in her hair.

Davina gulped, unable to glimpse his face to read his intentions and decide if he was oblivious or if he _enjoyed _unraveling her composure. Did he relish the slow ache he caused her? _Do I ever have the same effect on you?_

"I can read like an _elementary school child, _which is still better than 3-D." She retorted finally, earning a small snort from Shin. "信頼 is a grade 4 kanji compound, meaning I'm _better _than third graders."

Shin grabbed a brightly colored comic book and pointed to a particular picture.

"Doraemon?" Davina recognized the blue robotic cat character, notorious for Japanese children. "What's that doing here in the general fiction and not in the comic bo—"

Shin tapped his ringed thumb on Nobita who was drawn hectically running in a crosswalk in his school uniform of a white shirt, black trousers and a bright yellow hat. "I'll find you a large yellow hat to wear. Aka_-shou_-chan." He joked dryly.

The gears in Davina's mind produced 赤小ちゃん,which roughly translated as little red elementary school kid. Shin watched her inhale slowly offensively when she understood. Peeved, her jaw fell open. "Will you steal that hat too and add it to your growing collection?"

Shin put away Doraemon, turning his chin down to hide his grin. All bother she felt faded and she let her arms fall limply to her sides in defeat. Shin turned to her again, his lips twitching with dying restrain, which sparked Davina to finally burst into snickers.

The sound pierced through the relatively silent hall before she slapped her palm over her mouth to mind the readers. She playfully smacked Shin on the arm before setting the book down. She crossed her arms coldly and pouted. "You are the worst. Using my joke against me."

If she had blinked she would have missed his smile before he swiftly brushed his mouth over hers. He gently pried her crossed arms apart and interlaced their fingers together, instantly calming the fiery redhead.

She sighed into the kiss, hating how he could toy with her. Incite her emotions carelessly like throwing fuel on a fire and then subdue her a moment later with one touch.

Further down their aisle, near the tables, there were a few annoyed head jerks, glares and throat clearing. Davina pulled away with red cheeks that matched her hair, wondering how people could be less annoyed with the noise of her giggles than softer lip pecking sounds. Embarrassed, Davina veered away from prying glares and dragging Shin to the staircase by hand.

"I told you that we should have gone to the English section. There's nobody there and the few who are ever there are loud foreigners who wouldn't care anyway."

The foreign language books were at the second to top floor, which meant climbing five more flights of stairs. Of course the floor with the least amount of traffic would have the foreign language books, go figure.

Upon her first sight of Roman letters forming words she could instinctively read, she rushed to the first book shelf. She didn't have to _slowly_ and _tediously_ dissect each character, search the excess in a dictionary, mix up onyomi and kunyomi, etc. Her hands shook excitedly as she enjoyed word familiarity. She was like a child in a candy store, overwhelmed by so many options.

Contemporary Asian History/現代アジア史: books she normally wouldn't seek out, but it didn't matter, she could read them! She randomly picked a book outlining the Korean War and flipped through the pages, reading entire sentences with ease she took granted back in the US.

"朝鮮半島?" Shin murmured as he glanced at the Korean and Manchurian maps.

Davina shut the book and tilted to hear. "Eh?"

Shin cupped his chin thoughtfully, racking his memory for a term he only infrequently heard in English. "韓国..._Kankoku... _Korea?"

Davina's brows rose as she understood. "Yeah, Korea. I admittedly never read about Korea… even though we almost went there instead of Japan."

Shin watched her silently place the book back on the shelf, her face contorting contemplatively. It has hard to imagine that her life could have been so nearly displaced some five hundred miles further into Asia. An hour by plane didn't seem much but she'd be learning an entirely different language, wandering in a different city, confused by different customs and surrounded by different people and friends.

"Can you imagine me learning Korean?" Davina scuffed dismissively with a shake of her head, imagining how hopeless she'd be. "My mother told me before we moved here that South Korea had been a serious option, along with various points in the Middle East. However my dad's seniority granted him some flexibility and input. Decided Japan was better for a family since Japan is not _technically _at war, unlike South Korea. I heard nothing until the negotiations were between Okinawa and Tokyo."

"_Sou desu ka?_Is that so?" Shin said, genuinely amazed by how fickle such important relocations seemed. Most people lived in the same town or city for most of their lives—people like him. Davina slowly scaled the other side of the shelf, at historical fiction, welcoming a change in topic.

"Would it have mattered to you? Going to Korea? Or anywhere else?" Shin asked.

"Hmmm," She hummed, tracing letters with her fingertips. "_'I don't care where we go as long as they have ballet,'_ something I'd say before every move. As reassurance."

"To yourself."

She stopped suddenly, liberally showing Shin her realization on her features. To my parents, Davina nearly said but stopped, grasping how Shin's observation was so_ profoundly _precise. She finally read the sectioning tab she had been blankly staring at, Social Sciences/人文科学. Her index finger traced the kanji as she read the characters separately: 'people,' 'culture,' 'department' and 'studies'.

A pair of quiet footsteps behind her refreshed the words on her lips.

"Frankly, I know he was swayed by the chance to meet _Sofu _in Nagoya. _He'll never admit it, _but I'm sure he wants to enjoy the other part of his heritage. I forget that I have Japanese in me sometimes."

She turned around and read: American General Fiction/アメリカの小説'

Davina pulled out a book, seemingly at random, but she showed the cover to Shin. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. "She said 'as soon as my feet touched China, I became Chinese'. Is it wrong that I felt no natural affinity to Japan? Wonder if my dad did…" Despite being hidden between shelves, and away from the reading chairs, her voice tampered off quietly, as if pondering aloud.

Sensing her deliberation, Shin said, "I don't necessarily buy it. If my only attachment to this country was a relative I had never met before, I'd struggle to feel Japanese too. It will become clearer in time. You still have a _Sofu_, which means Japan is deep in your bones_._"

When Davina didn't glance up he added with a poke of her cheekbone. "Even if you don't look it."

Humor seeped back into her features like warmth. "So tell everyone to stop calling me a gaijin." Davina joked, tilting away.

Shin pictured Uchi, Noda, Kuma and Minami and shrugged. "No. That'd take away all the fun for them." Shin smirked and Davina felt butterflies flutter in her stomach.

"Speaking of general fiction, why are you carrying an English book?" Davina pointed to the book under his arm. "Did Fujiyama assign it?"

Shin glanced at the gray spine and white English lettering. "I'm reading it independently to prepare for entrance exams."

Davina's eyes widened as if caught completely by surprise. "Entrance exams...you mean for university?" She continued before Shin could answer with noticeable shortness and sarcasm in her tone. "Are your parents forcing you too?"

The redhead peered behind her shoulder before leaning in due to the private nature of their conversation and the fact that some readers were sitting nearby.

_Force? _Shin heaved a long sigh and gathered his thoughts, deciding whether to explain in-depth. Davina had not-so-subtly asked the family question and given their wishes for more transparent, he was obliged to answer.

Davina tucked a loose curl of hair to her ear and nonchalantly browsed some book titles to lift the seriousness of the question. She didn't want to boldly stare on at Shin and make it seem as if she really demanded a thorough explanation.

"Something like that." Shin finally answered. It was at that moment that he met Davina's pensive expression. If eyes were really windows into someone, then he could see the gears turning in her mind, knowing that he had opted for the simpler explanation. Like she had done before, like he had criticized her for doing.

Fortunately for Shin, Davina remembered how vague she had been about her family background before their first date and how she'd tiptoe around the subject with strangers. Shin meeting her family wasn't a genuine indication of Davina's forthrightness. Had the evening been more her way, her parents wouldn't have known Shin existed in her life.

While Davina was grateful for the recent connectivity and communication with her normally busy parents, her dad's festering unease with Shin worried Davina as much as it agitated her. She never imagined her father would appreciate Shin's deadpanned face or delinquent _looking _appearance, but that was the least of it. He had never explicitly said it, but Davina sensed her dad blamed Shin for the circumstances involving Tsuchida and Inoue.

_"If she hadn't been at that high school, it wouldn't have happened."_Davina had heard her father groused to her mother.

Listening behind her bedroom door, Davina had wanted to intervene and cry out _you mean if I hadn't been with Shin that day it wouldn't have happened?! _However she had withheld her words, an urge dying at her throat. The situation was over and had ended with the best result.

_Still_...she thought as she watched Shin. He trailed his finger along various book spines, carefully mumbling the English titles under his breath, in a way that reminded Davina of herself when she was searching for Japanese books.

Despite the interaction, there was a giant elephant in the room, like she was on thin ice with her parents. One more heavy misstep and the ice might crack. Another situation like Inoue and Tsuchida could _not _happen again. The consequences…were something that frightened Davina too much to ponder.

"I never did ask before…what do you wish to do after you graduate high school?" Davina asked, moving from the family question.

_If I graduate..._Shin restrained from verbalizing. "I haven't decided yet. I don't have inkling yet."

Shin had never expressed a particular interest in a future path, but many of her peers cited the same thing. Mira was one of them. Shin was an exceptional case, however. "I'm sure you'll do well at anything. Yankumi dotes on you and your perfect marks. She said that you're her bet for valedictorian."

Shin moved his shoulders indifferently. "It only really matters for the duration of high school."

The redhead blinked in confused. If she were valedictorian, opportunities would be falling from the sky and landing at her feet like gold tiles. "_Shin—_it's outstanding!" Davina assured him, slipping into English in a fit of excitement. "I mean—I wish I was that smart." She murmured under her breath, discomforted by a burn deep in her torso. "Do you really think it's not a big deal?"

This time she stared intently at Shin with big eyes, not retreating without an answer. Shin scratches his hairline thoughtfully and bit his lip, formulating a way to explain in clear Japanese to make absolutely sure Davina understood, without sounding too humble or too self-deprecating.

"You practice ballet every single day and passionately pursue it. You've made it a big deal in your life and you make everyone to recognize that. You have talent and you know what to do with it."

Davina slowly nodded once to declare that she understood all of his words. She paused to ingest his explanation and see his perspective before responding. Abruptly and surprisingly to Shin she shook her head. "Intelligence is more highly valued than the ability to twirl on your toes. You shouldn't downplay your smarts. Even if a few adults"—her fingers gestured a tall and tacky hairstyle over her head to refer to Headteacher—"dislike you for your intelligence."

He smirked darkly. "I'm only important if they can heighten their reputation. It's why 3-D get's discarded like trash."

Hearing his response filled Davina with a crude mix of sadness and anger. Forming a response was all she could do to restrain the urge to shake him. Was he really not utilizing his full potential out of rebellion? All she could think was _what a waste? _"For a smart guy, you're not using any sense. It is trash to waste such talent."

Shin shrugged indifferently and ran a hand through his hair and brushed it over his eyes.

Davina sighed and swept his hair away from his face to reinforce her point. She smoothed the soft strands with her palm. "Yankumi will knock some sense into you. She's more annoying at forcing her way than me—something I admire about her."

Shin's lips twitched nearly forming a smile but his eyes betrayed him. _She definitely is, _Davina read the humor hidden in his poker face.

They stood that way for a while in silence. Davina delicately combed her fingers through his sleek dark hair, resembling in her mind threads of silk. She lifted the black strands to reflect rays of light, seeing the threads shine like her silver ring.

Shin watched her eyes, slowly float up and down as she affectionately massaged his hair. Her palm eventually rested on the neap of his neck, her fingers tangled in his tresses.

When Shin leaned in to kiss her, Davina wondered which was softer, his hair or his lips? The answer was lost on her when Shin wrapped his arms around her, rubbing the curve of her waist and the small of her back.

She realized the thinness of her top by feeling Shin's finely textured ring almost touch her skin through the fabric. Davina inhaled his clean boyish musk, and her heart pattered, enthusiastically rushing blood, rendering her too dizzy to think. Her leg muscles, toned from years of laborious ballet, weakened and quivered like jelly.

Shin could unravel her, make her so vulnerable yet he held her so delicately.

"You give me too much credit." Davina murmured against his cheek. "My parents don't recognize how important ballet is to me. They tolerate it. They would love it if I decided to merrily attend university and get a secure, comfy government job like them. I'll apply to university as they wish."

"What if they tell you to go?"

Davina pulled away abruptly, offended. "That won't happen. They just want me to apply and have options if I change my mind."

"You sure?" Shin saw the situation as two possibilities, either her parents were really oblivious to her life-long pursuit and thought out of the blue, she'd change her mind, or the more likely case, that Davina was ignorant of the probability of her parents to not conceding. Her parents, Shin perceived, were preoccupied people, but certainly not stupid. Davina, also not stupid, was merely too hopeful.

Shin hoped though for her sake that they did. However, he knew parents by nature didn't concede. His own hadn't.

Regardless of the sparsely occupied floor, Davina stood nearer to Shin to softly utter her response. Even close, Davina couldn't bring herself to face him and answer. Her resolve would crumble if she did. "Their insistence is a good thing. If I'm not accepted by S.A.B. or any other ballet company, I could still dance in college."

The words weren't hers, they belonged to her parents. None of that needed saying but Davina was different than Shin. Not everyone could do or should be forced to do what he did, Shin accepted.

She picked up a random book as an excuse to abandon the conversation. She uttered before turning away to sit on a reading couch. "Anyway, ask if you ever get stuck trying to translate English work."

* * *

The blood drained from Davina's complexion as she flipped through the tome Shin recommended for Jayla for JLPT1 prep. The _kanji _(if it could be called that) resembled chicken-scratch hieroglyphics more so than the kanji she was studying, many of them requiring twenty and more strokes. Her writing hand ached from just glancing through the pages and the more she saw, the more she pictured dextral-suicide. Davina, the poor girl, could only recognize pieces of the kanji, never mind decipher any sort of definition. And Jayla was studying _this_?

"Can you read this?" Davina asked bleakly, struggling to picture any imperfect human reading those complex characters with ease.

Shin's brows raised incredulously, enough for Davina to decide her question was a dumb one "Of _course _I can read it_,_ but the grammar is a little archaic and formalized."

Davina shut the heavy tome, all hopes of Japanese proficiency draining, flushed down the toilet. "I'll be sure to give it to her." Davina murmured, envy burning undeniably in the pit of her stomach, for the second time that evening.

"I've been meaning to ask," Shin began as they stepped outside the large book store. The sun was gone, yet the sky was still impressively lit by flashing neon signs and gleaming advertisements. Even standing side by side, Shin still had to raise his voice considerably in order for her to hear over the urban raucous. "Have you decided about what to do with Saturday?"

"My father's promotional ceremony is top priority—never had a choice in that matter anyway. I'm very happy for my dad, but these ceremonies are snooze-fests at best. Especially after attending hundreds of them in one lifetime. Have you told 3-D that I'm can't go?"

"I haven't. Yankumi has commandeered the match as practice for sports' day."

"So I have already been taken out of the equation?"

"More or less." Shin said slowly and honestly.

Davina sighed dully. "That's okay. You guys have fun and maybe we can schedule another day if everyone likes it."

"Can you invite anyone to the ceremony?"

"I can't invite all 3-D."

"I meant _me._"

Davina rubbed her forehead soothingly as if to will her brain to stop misinterpreting.

The thought of Shin being there too did cheer her up…but… "I would like that, but I'm warning you, you'll find watching paint dry more interesting. The worst part is the mindless small chat and the constant shaking of hands. The same five questions _over _and _over_." Davina placed such emphasis on 'over', rolling her eyes. _Are you going to college? You should consider international relations, which would be good with your language skills, don't ya think? Will you go back to the United States for college? What are you going to do after college? Wait…did you say that you _weren't _going to college?_

"It's okay." Shin said. "You don't have to miss your own baseball game alone."

Davina couldn't help but laugh. "When you put it like that, I wouldn't miss _missing_my baseball game for the world."

A hazy smoke billowed around the street, carrying the aroma of fried batter and octopus. Davina's stomach grumbled loudly and painfully, enough to paralyze Davina in her place. Her rubbed her stomach soothingly, the fried scent made her mouth water.

When Shin realized that she wasn't standing next to him, he naturally turned around. "Eh?"

She was standing at the takoyaki stand, holding up her index finger to symbolize 'one' as in one order. Though she relied on miming gestures to make an order, she asked in _meticulous _Japanese for the brown sauce to cover exactly half of the takoyaki—in her explanation to allow the sauce to sink into the batter, give the sprinkled seaweed and katsuobushi a good sitting place, without drowning every piece.

The vendor blinked in awe but agreed wholeheartedly with a smile, saying that way was the perfectly balanced way of preparing takoyaki. To his taste, any other way would be too dry or too soupy.

Shin perched himself at the pedestrian gate to watch their conversation unfold with amusement. He could only partially hear due to the pedestrian and car noise around him but he caught her praise the vendor's thicker takoyaki sauce, and how some other vendors made their too runny like soy sauce.

The vendor nodded his head earnestly and his tone changed. Instead of being precautious, careful in case the foreigner misunderstood, he spoke freely in normal Japanese. Shin could hear them exchange aghast over rumors that _some _vendors used squid instead of real octopus.

"How _dare _they_?_" The vendor cried.

"I know! It's _tako_yaki not _ika_yaki!" Davina said, as she searched her bag for her wallet.

Shin shook his head in disbelief, pressing his fist to his mouth to suppress the urge to smirk. Was she studying hard at Japanese just to talk with takoyaki grillers?

The teenager stood when the vendor thanked Davina for her patronage. She returned with her mouth full with takoyaki, one occupying each cheek, in a manner that reminded Shin of Kuma.

"Delish! Tr-zome! He-gave-ex-tra-be-cause-he-waz-zo-nice." Davina jumbled in between chews, struggling not to choke.

"Eh? Has Kuma rubbed off on you?" Shin poked a toothpick into a takoyaki while Davina struggled to chew.

Ten long seconds later, Davina swallowed the last bite and hiked an eyebrow with intrigue. She wiped her mouth and stood straighter, returning to normal. "What are you talking about?"

Shin merely shook his head and Davina dropped the subject innocently. _Shin being Shin._

* * *

Kuma merrily ate his second helping of takoyaki, humming in delight. Minami, Noda and Uchi collectively rolled their eyes at their loud friend, though bitterly regretting that they didn't purchase any for themselves. Despite being their friend, Kuma would sooner chew off their hands if they so much as reached for a takoyaki.

"How'd you like the movie?" Uchi said absently, window-shopping as vendors locked up for the night.

"It was pretty good." Noda said simply, texting on his phone.

Minami sighed happily, pressing his palm over his rapidly pounding heart with a twinkle in his eye. "I loved it."

The others rolled their eyes again, annoyed. If Minami declared his love for Erika-chan _one _more time, they'd sock him.

"She's the perfect one for me." Minami hummed, skipping as if he were as light as a feather.

Uchi wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulder halting his skip like gravity. "Minami, you could never woo an older woman like her."

Before Minami could react to Uchi's insult, Noda exclaimed.

"EHHHHH!" He glared at his phone screen. "Shin isn't going on Saturday."

It was everyone else's turn to holler in protest. "Ehhhhh!"

"Well there goes our pitcher." Uchi whined rubbing his face and blond hair back.

"Did he say why?" Minami hovered over Noda's shoulder and Noda opened another message.

"That's what I'm about to find out. _Going to promotional ceremony at the Barracks. _Ehhh?"

"What would he be doing _there_?" Minami grumbled.

"Does that mean that Dabina-chan isn't going either?" Noda concluded, quite rightly.

"_Sou da ne._ That's probably right." Kuma agreed.

"Hey guys." Uchi muttered, notably softer than before. As his friends looked over, he nudged his chin to show the group of three youths on the other side of the street.

They recognized the four characters standing gangly along a closed shop as Nakamura, Miyake, and Tsuchida.

"I haven't seen Tsuchida at school for days." Noda noted.

"Look at the bruise on his cheek." Minami pointed out. Even from the opposite side of the pavement, they could distinguish the purplish-red botch on Tsuchida's left cheek, along the bandage on his nose.

Their peers seemed downtrodden in spirit, slouching dully against the dark shop. Tsuchida especially seemed worn, tired and even cautious as he occasionally peered over his shoulder.

"Think Inoue fought him? Look at bandage on Tsuchida's nose." Kuma asked. They had to squint but faintly they could spot a thin white bandage cross Tsuchida's nose.

Uchi considered for a moment then shook his head. "Doubt it; Inoue would have wiped the floor with him. Tsuchida wouldn't have gotten away with just two hits. I doubt Tsuchida would have fought back—would you?"

The others were silent neither agreeing nor disagreeing. _They _certainly would. Like Davina had.

Kuma gulped his last bite heavily in realization. "The bruise faded a bit so it's a few days old at least. That was Dabina's hit."

Minami smacked his lips. "_Tsk. _No matter the bastard can't show himself at school."

"That explains the nose." Noda stated.

Suddenly, Nakamura looked over and nudged Miyake to alert Tsuchida. The three stared in a stalemate with 3-D. Facing them head on, 3-D could clearly see Tsuchida's healing bruise and slightly misshapen nose.

"Should we?" Uchi asked.

"What did Yankumi say again? About ganging up on people? She didn't like that, right?" Kuma said, acknowledging a particular blockade in the back of all of their minds: their dorky pigtailed homeroom teacher. Whenever they toiled with the urge fight, they pictured Yankumi wagging a finger and clocking them in the face.

"The three of them would be outmatched against the four of us. Tsuchida's injured and I'd be surprised if Nakamura and Miyake even know how to make a fist. Even without Yankumi's moral code, it's an unfair fight. " Uchi calculated.

Noda merely shrugged and then stretched lazily. "_Tsumaranaiyo. _Not worth it to me. I'm tired from fending Kuma off my popcorn from during the movie."

"Eh? What the hell is that supposed to mean—" Kuma interrupted, immediately diverting his attention to Noda.

"Yeah. Their pride's had enough." Minami uttered coolly before shrugging his hands casually into his trouser pockets.

The four broke their gaze first and continued sauntering down the street like before. With Kuma threatening Noda for calling him fat and Minami practically floating from daydreams about his favorite beautiful actress, they stopped caring about Tsuchida, Miyake and Nakamura.

Across the street, Nakamura and Miyake crowed arrogantly. Tsuchida didn't join, his damaged pride not admitting to them, even to himself that was he _grateful _for 3-D walking away.

Kuma, Minami, Uchi and Noda didn't care nor did they listen for taunts from 3-C. What use was it to fight with them anymore? You fought to settle a score and win. As far as they were concerned, the score was already done and dusted. Their best friend had won the girl, like they knew he would.

Their malicious side wished to throw salt on the wound and _thank _Tsuchida for challenging them. The extra competition had been the necessary push for Shin to realize that his own uncertainty and thereby passiveness was going to lose it for him. Meanwhile, Tsuchida had disgraced himself and his bitter contempt for Shin had only pushed Davina over the edge, far from Tsuchida's reach. _That_, the four of them thought, was the reason Tsuchida was too ashamed to face them. He only had himself to blame for everything from his broken heart to the bandage covering his nose.

* * *

"Sergeant Summons, do you mind if I have a moment with you to confirm your guest list for tonight?"

"Guest list?" Ken's hand slid mid word while finishing paperwork. "I haven't invited anyone."

The private reread the sheet and apologized. "Pardon my mistake. Your daughter requested a guest pass."

"She did? For what name?"

"Sin Sawayda." The private reported, butchering the name.

It took a moment for Ken to recollect the name. The private had shortened the 'sh' in the first name and mistaken the syllables. Sin? _Shin._His memory corrected, thanks to Esmée's incessant teasing. He pictured the shaggy haired, sleepy-eyed, thuggish looking teenager whom his young daughter was unfortunately smitten with.

"Sergeant?" The private's voice pulled Ken from his thoughts.

"When was the request made, Private Byrd?" Ken twirled his pen between his fingers.

"It got submitted Thursday morning." Byrd couldn't help but become a tad perplexed by the Sergeant's question, wondering if he had created a potentially uncomfortable situation between parent and daughter. As inept as the private was at Japanese names, it didn't take a genius to realize that the name was belong to a local. It was a Japanese civilian so a friend of Sergeant's daughter, someone whom he obviously wasn't too fond of…

Ken noticed Private Byrd begin to withdraw uncomfortably then spoke up. "The reason I ask for the date is because that request is old. We discussed last night and decided to just keep it to family."

The Sergeant replied with a straight poker face, so perfectly monotone the private had trouble deciding if he was honest or insincere. Irrespective of the Sergeant's intentions, the private nodded and swore to discard the request. It's the man's promotional party after all, Byrd thought as he shut the door behind him. Sergeant Summons could decide who he wanted there or not, right?

Byrd ripped the request in half.

* * *

"Where's dad?" Davina asked as she undid her hair for the umpteenth time. She was trying to roll her hair into an updo—one she had done before numerous times—but it either turned out lumpy or flat or her hair would spill out stubbornly. "What do you think of this dress, by the way?" Davina smoothed her grey dress with black chiffon and black threading. Let her hair so for a moment, she finished applying her lip color, a subtle reddish, almost purple, pink.

Her mother was calmly choosing a pair of earrings, settling on small diamonds. Davina thought she looked effortlessly elegant in her long dark gown. Her hair was sleek, decorated with a single black jeweled clip. "He left an hour ago. Couldn't get him to sit still. Your dress is fine; I especially like your lip stain. Why are you so irritated today?"

"Madame was supposed to talk with us today, but she rushed out. She apologized and asked us to bring out old pointe shoes again _next _week. I thought she was going to talk to us about going pro." Davina groaned at the mirror as she reached for her brush again. "And my hair isn't cooperating."

"Then leave it down."

"But I've tied it so many times that there's this kink in the back so I have to tie it up."

Esmée rolled her eyes as she pressed the clasp to the earring. Here she goes again. "Do whatever you want Davina, but be quick. I'm leaving now and we all have to be in our places in fifteen minutes."

Davina flapped her lips in annoyance right after her mother left. She checked her time on her phone, seeing no message from Shin yet informing her of his whereabouts. She had filed a guest request for Shin a few days prior and he promised her that he would find her in the lobby. She combed her hair, slowly and meticulously fixing her hair.

* * *

Shin checked his watch as he arrived at the gate. He was on time but cutting it close. It was a clear early evening, the day noticeably longer for summer. Shin pulled at his collar as a draft of wind blew. He produced his student ID card and told the guard to check the guest list for the promotional ceremony.

The young guard checked twice for Kanji and Romanji, wondering if there had been a mix up, but regardless the boy's name wasn't listed.

"You are not on the list." The young recruit answered directly.

"Please check again. Davina Summons made a request." Shin asked.

The guard slowly and carefully checked every single name on the list and he couldn't find any requests made by the Sergeant's daughter.

"You're not on the list. I cannot let you in."

* * *

Yankumi adjusted her baseball cap over her pigtails with an impressive sun flare on her glasses. She gazed upon the open field, energized by the distant cheers from other games and the smell of freshly cut grass. "Everyone, let's do our best. Fight-o oh!" She aimed a fist into the air but soon noticed a lack of reception. She awkwardly turned around, wondering where her students ran off to…

She sighed as she watched them huddle over to the fence where a girl's team played. "I thought we were going to play, not watch!" She ran over and smacked them in a row in the back of the head.

"Ehhhhh, Yankumi!"

"We lost our spirit." Kuma said glumly.

"I'm a musician, not a sports player." Uchi mused, drumming his hands on his guitar case.

"Dabina-chan, the person who asked for a game isn't here, our best pitcher Shin isn't here…" Yagyu dully muttered.

_"Tsumaranai_" Minami grumbled. "Not worth it."

"You guys!" Yankumi said, aghast. "We're been practicing for a week—"

"We practiced with the intentions of Dabina and Shin being here. It was supposed to be her get-out-of-jail-free-game, neh?"

"I wouldn't normally spend my Saturday playing sports." Ooishi uttered and the others all nodded absolutely.

Yankumi turned away, pretending to give in. "Sah, I guess I'll have to tell those girls that it can't be helped."

An automatic switch flicked on in the boys' head and they immediately gravitated around Yankumi.

"What was that Yankumi?" Minami demanded.

Yankumi smirked. "Oh, nothing. I was talking to some really cute girls over there who were asking if you boys were going to play. They _love _baseball players they said. I told them I didn't think so and they were _sorely _disappointed—"

"We can't ignore our commitment to the sport!"

"We can't allow those cute girls to be disappointed in us."

"People are counting on us to play."

Hollering a battle cry, the boys took their positions on the field, splitting in half for field and batting.

Yankumi took out her umpire mask and mitt and perched herself behind the first batter-Ooishi. "Let's have a good clean game everyone."

* * *

Davina exited the elevator into the lobby, searching impatiently through the crowds of formally dressed civilians and uniformed army personnel. However hard she looked she couldn't spot the shaggy-haired boy who would stick out like a sore thumb.

"Maybe he already went inside." Davina thought aloud, the casual chatter too boisterous to hear her own thoughts.

* * *

Shin dialed her number, listening to the dial tone beep until her voice mail box answered.

"Impossible."

* * *

Davina stood on her toes, glancing at all the tables of people, _not seeing Shin. _She felt a tap on the shoulder and her father led her to their table. Davina took out her phone to make a call. "Davina put the phone away. It's about to start."

"But dad, Shin isn't here yet—"

She couldn't figure out if he heard her or not, because he ushered her to her designated chair without acknowledging her words. He took the phone from her hand and switched it off.

"All phones must be silent."

Davina watched her father scamper away nervously and stood to leave when her mother took her arm. "Stop fidgeting! They're about to start."

"But maman, Shin is still outside."

Esmée frowned, panning between her husband and daughter reluctantly. "If you leave now, you'll miss the beginning. Wait until they serve food and then sneak off."

* * *

Shin rang again, this time immediately going to voicemail.

Shin felt a tap at the shoulder.

"I remember you." A familiar voice uttered.

* * *

Davina's unease grew as she watched the door, waiting and hoping for Shin to find his way inside. Despite her father's wishes, she restlessly switched on her phone, willing the startup process faster. What could _possibly _be taking him so long?

By chance she peered up again. By the door, right as they shut were Samuel and Shin standing side by side. Relief washed over Davina. She stood up right as the lights dimmed.

"Thank goodness, what took you so long?" Davina smiled at Shin. He was dressed formally, a dressier version of his school uniform: a soft-looking black suit with a white button collar shirt. His hair was styled flatter than normal and his blond streaks were hidden. He carried a small duffel bag. Sam was also dressed formally with a dark blue suit and black shirt.

"They weren't letting him in at the gate." Samuel answered. "Added him as my guest."

"Really? I made a request…but it doesn't matter. Thank you." She said sincerely.

"You two should take your seats." Sam uttered.

"Arigatou gozaimasu." Shin thanked Sam.

"Oh great, he made it." Esmée sighed, grateful that her daughter would _finally _sit down. She looked closer at Shin's attire and switched to French. "Shin looks very sharp by the way, Davina. Those clothes show his shoulders." She winked at Davina, causing her daughter's bare neck and collar to flush red.

"_Maman._" She gasped lowly, abashed from her mother calling attention to what Davina _had already noticed…_

Esmée's smile merely grew, in a manner that reminded Shin of Davina. With dark hair and eyes and warm skin, Shin thought Mrs Summons was a very pretty lady.

Shin slightly bowed his head in greeting.

"Maman, can you believe that they messed up my request? I made one the other day and they managed to screw it up."

"Mess it up, did they? Really?" Esmée purposefully looked towards her husband. "I wonder what could have possibly possessed them to do that." _Oh Ken, you can be such a spoiled brat sometimes…_

* * *

"Do we have _any _players occupying bases?" Uchi cupped his hands like binoculars.

"Not even close." Noda grumbled bitterly.

They were just about to finish their turn at bat with two strike outs and _no _one had managed to even hit the ball in the correct way to run to a base.

Shitori marched reluctantly up to home plate. He took the bat and positioned himself to swing.

Yankumi shook her head with disbelief. "Shitori…you're supposed to hold the bat _the other way._"

A glazed look on the boy's face displayed utmost confusion. He awkwardly turned the bat upside down to grip the narrower end. "Are you sure this is the right way? I got used to hitting balls the other way, can I change anyway?"

Uchi, Minami, Noda and Kuma slapped their palms over their foreheads. "It can't be helped." They muttered in unison.

* * *

Shin gazed at the center of the warmly lit atrium at the three impressive and strong looking uniformed men—one being Davina's dad, a superior and a colleague who also was receiving a promotion. Shin remembered how strongly Davina's dad had shaken his hand when they met.

"Attention for orders. Sergeant Kenneth R. Summons is hereby promoted to Sergeant Major dated 8th of June, 2002 signed by Major General Harrison of the U.S. Armed Forces."

The Major General decorated Davina's father's dark green uniform with a reflective pendant. The Major General referred to the man next to Ken. The man was only slighter shorter than Ken but he still seemed firmly built and trained in his solid stature. The man had finer lines on his face and darker, thinner hair than Ken. Shin also couldn't help but notice that the man had a glazed look in his green-hazel eyes, unlike Ken's strict deadpanned stare.

"Sergeant Major Mark H. Schmidt is hereby promoted to the US Armed Forces Port Facility Naha, Okinawa. Dated 8th of June 2002, signed by Major General Harrison of U.S. Armed Forces."

"Schmidt?" Davina murmured when subtle applause broke as the men exchanged strong handshakes.

"Huh?" Shin tilted his head closer.

"I've heard that name before somewhere—" Davina fixed her attention on the man, hoping his face would trigger her memory. No luck, she couldn't recollect ever seeing the man before. However, there was _something _familiar about him and it was maddening that she couldn't figure out why. "It's bugging me."

Sergeant _Major _Summons embraced his wife as he returned to his table. Davina walked over and her father pulled her into a bear hug. "Congrats dad." She ran her thumb along the Sergeant Major emblem.

"Omedetto gozaimasu." Shin bowed his head sincerely.

Ken extended his hand to shake. Shin was impressed again with the man's vice like grip as he squeezed his hand. "Thank you for your salutations, Shin. It's a pleasure to have you with us today."

"Oh, you didn't know he was coming?" Esmée chirped innocently, sipping her wine with a smile. "I thought they usually verify the guest lists with the personnel."

Ken gave her a pleading look of _please don't do this._

Esmée, mercifully, looked to the teenagers. "You know how these things can slip through the cracks in the army."

"Where's the waiter? Let's eat." Ken frantically slipped away towards a white suit clad man. Esmée giggled as she sat down. The man had achieved one of the highest ranks in the army but he was no less of a coward with his own family.

* * *

Yankumi cheered as her student raced to first base, dodging as he threw the bat carelessly behind him. She saw Shimazu throw the caught ball towards Horibe at first base. Kamiji raced past the base right as Horibe caught the ball, but the scene was too quick for Yankumi to instantly judge the winner.

"You're out! I caught the ball!" Horibe shouted at his opponent, shoving his glove with ball in grasp to his face.

"You were miles away from the base. If you aren't touching it I'm safe!" Kamiji shoved Horibe away viciously.

"Yamero, yamero." Yankumi dashed between them as they continued to push and shove.

* * *

Shin tentatively cut his beef with a knife and fork. He could use western utensils perfectly fine, but the cutlery felt foreign to the muscles and joints in his hands. He went with the flow, bending to the full Western experience. All of the conversation so far hovered between the three Summons family members, mostly in English with a few smatterings in French. He could only understand bits and pieces but the rest of it was fast gibberish. Was this how Davina felt with his friends?

"So Shin—" Ken began almost randomly. Shin paused mid-cut. "Have you decided what you plan to do after high school?"

Shin carefully formulated an English response. "Undecided for now, but I'm working on university applications."

_The college card,_ Davina thought. _That will get them on your side fast._

"Have you decided which schools?" Ken continued before taking a bite of his mashed potatoes.

"The main three—Waseda, Keio and Todai." Shin answered nonchalantly.

Esmée and Ken peered up from their respective plates in unison.

"Ambitious young man." Esmée smiled.

"From what I hear those are difficult schools to enter. You need perfect grades and a good class ranking, which yours is?"

"Number one." Shin continued indifferently. "I suspect it will be fine. They look into lineage and most of my family went to Todai."

Esmée blinked rapidly before finally looking over to Davina as if expecting her to say a punch line. When none came, the mother nodded approvingly, causing Davina to smirk proudly. "First impressions aren't always right as they say. He's not just a pretty face after all." Esmée murmured quietly to Davina in French.

"Maman—" Davina nagged.

Ken was stuck mid motion, dumbstruck as if he had just been clubbed over the head. He restrained from gaping at the long-haired teenager but watched as he freely ate his beef and potatoes with gravy, outwardly oblivious of the awe of his academic savvy. He remembered the punkish teenager he had the displeasure of meeting in his daughter's _bedroom_. Save for the nice suit, he was the same sleepy-eyed teenager but apparently a wicked smart one. Was the thug behavior mere teen rebellion?

"And your parents, what do they do?" Ken asked, following the natural flow of polite conversation.

"My father is a government worker." Shin answered ambiguously. "Pardon, I'm not sure of the exact position name in English."

It was also Davina's turn to be surprised. A _government _worker? That could be anyone from a social worker to a Prime Minister. How had Shin never told her?

A few uniformed colleagues came to their table to congratulate Ken. He wiped his mouth and stood. "Sorry to run off mid-conversation—"

"It's your party, go." Esmée waved her hand dismissively.

Davina sipped her ice water and whispered dryly. "How amazing that you revealed more during polite conversation with my parents than with me during the last several weeks?"

Before Shin could legitimately respond, Ken called for Davina to join him to talk with his colleagues. Davina sighed at her half finished plate, "Let the five rounds begin." She tossed her cloth napkin on the table.

"You must be proud." Shin said, politely.

Esmée sipped her wine generously. "My husband is a little too enthusiastic about a position he had fought tooth and nail to avoid."

"You don't have to tell me—" Shin said but Esmée shook her head.

"I don't mind. The sudden promotion and the send off of Schmidt to Okinawa—it suddenly makes sense why we were sent to Tokyo and not Okinawa."

"I'm not quite sure I understand…"

"Shin, you must know. If you're family is in government, you _know _how these things work. Judging from the sound of your ambiguity surrounding your father, he must be pretty high up there." She winked slyly.

Shin murmured discreetly, secretly impressed. "Sumimasen."

Esmée held up her hand to pause him. "As we say, need to know basis. I won't make you tell me."

"Okinawa is a promotion for Schmidt surely…"

"More like _demotion._" Esmée continued quietly. "This is all my speculation, but it's very strange to me. They're sending Schmidt to Naha after nineteen years of service with native level fluency and they're replacing him with a new guy with no in-country experience who can barely say 'arigatou'? Now my husband is lovely, capable, _a little dumb,_but honorable with a spotless record. He has never failed to follow an order so they must have twisted his arm to bring him here.

"All of the negotiations between the Japanese government and US forces are done in Tokyo. Sending Schmidt to Naha is like throwing a man out to Siberia."

Shin could admit. It did seem strange. However, Davina's rather intelligent mother was right. He had witnessed cover-ups from his own window into politics. "Why would they do that I wonder?"

Esmée swirled the dark red liquid in her glass thoughtfully. "Major conflict of interests. Not sure what exactly, but it must be pretty serious if the US armed forces can't trust him to hold their best interests above his conflictions."

Esmée turned her chin when her name was called. "Time for me to do PR." She smoothed her long shin black gown. "Will you be alright until Davina returns?"

Shin bowed his head subtly with a polite smile. "It will be alright."

"I'll do my best to make sure her father doesn't keep her away from you the whole night." She left and immediately shook hands with the colleague Ken was speaking with.

A familiar presence sat down in one of the empty chairs designated for the Summons. Sam scooted his chair over casually, apparently interested in conversing with Shin.

"How good is your English?" Samuel asked Shin as Davina did her usual five question rounds with adults.

Shin nonchalantly set his arms on the table to lean forward. "Probably as good as your Japanese." He answered.

"My Japanese isn't horrendous." Sam replied.

"You told Davina otherwise once." Shin said dryly.

Samuel crookedly smiled, caught red-handed. "Yep, I did. Figured she'd help me if I pretended I needed it."

Shin exhaled with a twitch. "What was your plan about letting me in?"

"No plan. Just to make her happy. I saw her restlessly search for someone and figured it was you. I don't expect any romantic compensation if that's what you're asking. If I were pursuing her, I wouldn't let her boyfriend inside."

"You would if you were trying to look good in front of her."

"You're sharp." Sam responded, appraisingly. "But I officially concede. I'll admit that I tried but she said no. I like the way she smiles at me. Well she smiled at me, but she beamed at you earlier. As jealous as that makes me that I can't receive the same reaction, it can't be helped."

Shin was silent, seeing how they both watched Davina shuffle from table to table.

"For whatever reason, she fancies you, probably for the same reasons her dad _hates _you. As a warning to you, if you plan on staying with her for a while, you'll have to deal with her dad at some point."

Shin couldn't decide if Sam was sincerely trying to warn him or frighten him away?

"I'm aware of her father." Shin responded soundly.

Sam remembered how Ken unceremoniously suggested to him to _try and steal Davina away from Shin_. Sam only wished he had succeeded. "Trust me, you're not." Sam stood suddenly, right as Davina returned to sit with Shin.

Davina sat next to Shin and took his hand under the table. "Doushita? What's up?" Shin asked about her taking his hand.

Davina bit her lip, turning back to see Sam sauntering away. "There's something odd about a boy who fancies me talking to my significant other. I don't know what he said, but I hope he didn't scare you away."

Shin's thumb rubbed her hand affectionately. "Betsuni."

Davina leaned with her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand. She tried to hide her smile but it reached her eyes expressively. Something changed in her face as if she remembered something.

"There's something I need to tell you."

"Go ahead."

"Not here. It's personal." She let go of his hand and stood, keeping an eye out for her parents. "I have an idea. Act casual until we get to the door."

* * *

Davina switched on her bedroom light and sighed as she sat on her desk chair with her arms limp in her lap. The quiet of her room was a huge relief after the loud chatter of the dinner. She could still hear their voices reverberate in her skull. She removed her clip from her hair to massage her scalp and let her hair ease down her back.

"Feel better?" Shin asked as he sat down on her bed.

"It actually wasn't so bad today. All of the attention was on my dad. It will be a while before they realize we disappeared."

Shin liked how her jewel earrings glimmered through her red tresses and the way her hair draped in waves along her almost bare shoulders and the swell of her chest. Shin appreciated her growing ease with him, before she wouldn't have physically or figuratively 'let her hair down'.

Feeling a little warm, Shin removed his suit jacket. Davina shyly glanced down at her feet, scratching the back of her neck. She liked the pressed button shirt on him and could remember her mother's verbal observation. "You were saying…"

"Right…" Davina began awkwardly, shushing the nerves in her stomach. She opened her mouth to speak but none of the right Japanese words or English came out. With a mix of her nerves, shyness, defense mechanism halting her efforts to be honest, she struggled for a moment. Finally she blurted out, "_Shinjiteiruyo_."

The blunt message startled Shin, rendering him unable to reply with more than one word. "Huh?"

Davina bit her lip from the shy urge to stop and withdraw, but she pushed forward. "Remember that word I was reading the other day, shinrai 信頼? I was reading the definition again and it said solid trust and reliance in someone. That's how I feel."

Shin felt something soften inside, certain coldness within. "Why you say that?"

"To be certain that you understand my genuine feelings. I never felt forced to trust you or share my life with you. I opened up to you because I wanted to…maybe because I always trusted you. I know you doubted that—_still might—_but you're important…to me." She persevered, nearly stopping at 'important'.

Shin remembered how during tutoring how he down talked his closeness, as if it didn't matter to her and it didn't matter to him. Tatsuya had suggested Shin's ties to Davina were something akin to possession and perhaps that dug into Shin's skin like a thorn. It was something he hadn't managed yet to pluck out. "There are still things you need to know—things I need to tell you."

"Me too."

They were silent for a moment, wondering if the other would begin. _Who goes first?_

"It can be slow." Shin said, cooling their pride.

Davina bit her lip. "Is there another way of making it official?"

"We can write it down. If you want you can say it."

"I don't think I'm ready to say them yet. You're not either."

"So how do we get it off our chests?"

"We can say it in ways that the other can't understand yet."

"Um, you can...write it down, in ridiculous kanji that I can't possibly read and then rip the paper into pieces. I can..."

"Say it in French."

Davina agreed, internally reluctantly, but her body managed to leave her chair to sit on her bed in front of Shin. She lowly gulped and lifted her eyes to meet his dark ones. Every defense mechanism and every ounce of pride with shouted 'no!' in protest as she opened her mouth. She shut her eyes, her throat actually aching. Shin touched her hand softly and she found to will to begin finally.

Her transition from Japanese and English to French was smooth and natural. Shin simply listened to her words, not for understanding, but listening. She spoke to him as if she could stop at any moment and expect a French response from him. Her logically side knew that he wouldn't understand, but that didn't stop her nerves from twisting painfully in her torso.

His other hand touched her face softly when she stopped, when her grip on his hand unconsciously loosened.

Even though Shin couldn't understand what she had said, Davina still felt exposed. The act of saying such internal baggage out loud was horrendously tiring even with the guarantee of his ignorance. By uttering her words, she had formed a contract with Shin; she would eventually make him understand each of her confessions.

Shin topped the cap of his marker then picked up a notepad. He stared at the blank sheet for a while then turned to Davina. "A notepad isn't such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"It's very impersonal. I can write it, but it's hardly a promise to you."

"You can say it like me."

"All I know is Japanese and some English—_no offense, your Japanese has improved_ so you might pick up what I'm saying. What's a way of sharing that will affect you without outright showing or telling you?"

"You could write it—hmm, somewhere I wouldn't see. What about on my arm?" Davina suggested, tracing her fingers along her triceps where unless she contorted into a strange angle, she wouldn't be able to read.

"Again, no offense, you would be able to read the Japanese."

"Well, sor_ry_!" Davina felt an inch from her dress strap along her shoulder-blade. She reached behind and moved the strap away from the bone. "How about my shoulder?" She said, catching the slight raise in Shin's brows. "Use the gel ink so you can smudge it."

Shin scratched his hair. "Well...if you're fine with it."

Davina turned away from Shin and sat at the edge of the bed. She inhaled deeply, suddenly understanding the depth of her promise. She lowered her dress strap and moved her hair to her right shoulder, leaving a portion of her neck and back exposed. She gulped as she felt Shin's hands reach for the hem of her dress. He could appreciate the decorative black threading. Shin's hairline became moist with sweat as he griped the hem of her dress and pulled down the zipper.

The dress unzipped slowly as Shin self-consciously figured out how much was necessary. _Enough to comfortable write it without smudging the fabric...yet not enough to expose her..._

Shin uncapped the marker again and swept away a stray piece of hair and felt her skin as he smoothed his hand under Davina's shoulder and down her back. Shin noticed how her shoulders tightened for a moment when his fingertips graced her skin.

"Sorry, just—

"It's okay." Shin stuttered, putting an end to the awkward conversation. Both of them inhaled a lulling breath. "Relax." Davina whispered, feeling as if she were telling herself more than Shin. _It's no big deal. During recitals you have to basically throw your old costumes off and change in front of other dancers. Then again...those dancers were all girls._

_No more skin than if she were wearing a bathing suit. _Shin's breath hitched in his throat, the thought not making him any calmer.

The felt tip of the marker pressed against Davina's skin, the black mark contrasting against her creamy skin. Shin focused on his writing despite that both Davina and he were nervous. Davina could sense from the subtle brushstrokes that he was meticulous, which seemed infinitely longer in contrast to her French words. She slowed her breathing to conceal her nerves. His hand smoothed over her back and she needed to swallow.

A nagging thought couldn't help but rattle her mind. If her parents so happened to stroll in at that moment… Shin would be worm food and her dad would be in prison…

Upon completion of the last secret, Shin applied pressure to each line, smearing the words illegible. The promise was complete, from the words he heard to the words on her skin. He quietly zipped up the dress and both immediately inhaled deeply.

She turned around and sat close enough to Shin for their knees to touch. Her heart was still pounding, unsure of how to proceed from there. The act of speaking about her secrets aloud and him writing his own on her skin was by far the most intimate thing she had ever done.

Shin looked at her with sympathy glinting in his dark eyes. "How do you feel?"

She gripped her shoulder; still feeling like her dress was open. "Exposed."

"Me too. For now though, I didn't understand your words and you won't be able to read my words."

"I know, but it feels like a deeper boundary has been crossed." Something inside ached, begging to be hidden and protected again. Secrets are difficult to keep but they're just as hard to release, after the roots had grown deep and far only to be ripped out painfully. Despite the hurt pride, her heart pounded vivaciously with indescribable elation.

"Do you have the stuff?" Davina asked with a tone different.

"In my bag." Shin said.

"Okay, you get ready in the bathroom. I'll get ready here."

Shin left with his bag and Davina securely shut the door.

As she took off her earrings and unzipped her dress, she somberly thought it was downright sinful to get Shin out of that nice crisp shirt. She combed her hair before tying it up again into a simple ponytail. She took off the rest of her jewelry, figuring it wasn't needed for what they were going to do next.

She finished preparing and heard a little knock at her door. She opened to see Shin dressed in track pants, sneakers and a sweatshirt. His smoothed-down hair appeared instantly fluffier and normal. His tucked in blond highlights stuck out prominently again among his dark tresses.

Davina felt extremely casual in her loose red jersey and black shorts after wearing a fancy dress.

"I messaged Yankumi and she said they're in their third quarter."

"Still? In their _first _game?" He asked incredulously

Davina refreshed her screen and scrolled down the message. "My thoughts too…but she mentioned that they started late and she stopped the game over and over to explain the rules—no fighting, no hitting your teammates, no hitting members of other teams, no leaving your position on the field to hit on girls…."

"Are we missing much?" Shin remarked.

"Sah…" Davina hummed. She then thought back to her book of notes, early morning game viewings and all the years of her dad insisting that she understand every tiny morsel of the sport. "We're going. I already changed. Just act casual until we reach the gates."

_When do we not act casual? _"You shouldn't have changed out of your dress." Shin flicked her loose jersey sleeve as she shut off her light and closed her bedroom door. They proceeded through the dark corridor towards the line of light under the front door. She opened the door and checked her pocket for her keys.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Davina blushed, internally indulging the idea that Shin preferred her in nicer clothes.

"Changing wasn't necessary…." Shin leaned against the hall wall as she locked her front door. "Because there's zero chance of you running to any bases with me as pitcher

She pointedly lifted her chin and squeezed her bag strap. "We'll just see about that."

* * *

That was 32 pages on an MS word document with lots of POV shifts. There was _something _else I wanted to reach in this chapter but that could easily be another ten thousand words… so you'll just have to wait until the next one :) Review what you thought...


	24. Chapter 24: Curve Ball & The East is Red

Yay for another chapter that didn't take six months to finish ^^; I wonder if no one minds that I'm deviating from the drama plot as Davina more entangled as the story progresses. All of the arcs will be portrayed, albeit some more differently than others. I'm obliged to ask because I have been scantly browsing the ff forums and wow, I never realized fanfiction had so many 'rules,' especially regarding OCs. Apparently it's not kosher for OCs to change the flow of the plot over time...which seems ludicrous to me (how can another character not contribute to the plot...) I digress... ^^;

* * *

Counting the Differences

Chapter Twenty-Four: Curve Ball/The East is Red

* * *

The expansive grassy field stuck out like a mismatched puzzle piece in the otherwise high-rise urban landscape. With six batting cages, a single open patch with four soccer goal posts, all visibly stooping down. The field was distinctly downhill in infrastructure compared to the surrounding vicinity as if the grounds were dug and molded by human hands. As Shin and Davina slowly hiked down the hill towards the batting cages, the orange sun gradually disappeared behind the skyscrapers in the distance.

As Davina covered her eyes from the sun's glare, Shin noticed how the sun complimented her hair's red hue warmly.

"Can you see them?" Davina asked as she glanced along each of the batting cages, at the different teams, minding her sensitive eyes.

Shin nudged his chin forward and gestured his hand at the last cage. Davina immediately recognized the unorganized ruckus, the threatening collar grabbing, the cursing, and the dorky teacher who yanked two students apart before the fuzz intervened. She giggled, typical 3-D.

"They look a little unorthodox." Davina uttered, shaking her head. She glanced at the cage adjacent to 3-D and admired the girl's team as they trained. Their moves were swift, efficient and elegant. Davina thought of the ballerinas in her class and despite baseball's rough play, the redhead perceived natural grace in their movement. She saw the pitcher and noted that the girl was quite beautiful in facial structure. She looked mature with her oval shaped face, and her large dark eyes curved slight up like a cat. A product of good genes, Davina thought. "Hey Shin, they're pretty good, aren't they? _I wonder if 3-D has noticed._"

Shin gave a fleeting look to the team then continued to stroll away without Davina. The redhead was mesmerized by the beautiful pitcher as she stretched to swing. "Shin, did you see th…" She realized she was talking to no one, and that he had sauntered on without her.

As she jogged after him, she heard cheers and the umpire shout "Strike three!" Davina playfully nudged Shin with her shoulder. "Have you decided what you're playing?"

"Pitcher, of course."

"I'll bat first on the opposing team."

She saw his _arrogant_ smirk, which he hadn't bothered one bit to hide. "If you say so."

"What's that supposed to mean—"

Yankumi spotted the pair and informally halted the game mid inning. She sighed and threw off her umpire mask to breathe fresh air. "You two, finally." She welcomed wornly.

"Eh, so you two finally decided to join us?!" Uchi quipped, hopping next to Kuma, Noda and Minami behind the batting cage.

"Way to make to the final inning—" Minami mocked.

"What's the score?" Shin asked and they waved their hands dismissively as if swatting a fly.

"Don't stress the minute details." They groaned in unison, shoving Shin to the field.

"Dabina-chan, are you batting?" Kuma asked, already forcing the bat into her hands.

With a smile, Davina tossed her sport's bag down behind the cage. "Yeah, I'll go first and try to secure a base for ya."

Shin took out his catcher's mitt, visibly brown, old and worn from use. He flexed his fingers with muscle memory in the mitt, glad it still felt snugly. "I already _said_ _you_'re not going to get to a base while I'm pitcher." Shin declared with strong, nearly aggressive prominence of the _itten_.

Despite being masters of rude vernacular and swearing, 3-D recoiled like old-era prudes from Shin's words to Davina. She marched towards him, swinging the bat beside her, sticking her chin high in the air. "I'm going to do my best and I'm going to score points."

3-D students slowly crept away from the rivalry brewing like static electricity between Shin and Davina.

"You think they're still going to be friends after this?" Noda whispered other 3-D students behind the batter's cage, watching doubtfully.

"Sah...didn't we tell him not to screw it up?" Kuma muttered.

Davina proceeded to the home plate, in front of Umpire Yankumi.

Shin stretched his arm out, practiced tossing the ball up in the air to warm up his glove hand. Yankumi noticed a certain enthusiasm, albeit subtle as he kicked the sand around the pitcher's base. Moving and flowing superbly like a duck who missed water. Finally, the student shrugged his shoulders and beat the ball into the glove. He narrowed his eyes at Davina and Yankumi as he swept his long hair from his eyes. Even on the field, he commanded the respect of 3-D as they silenced their chatter to allow him to concentrate and to watch the scene unfold.

In a rapid motion, he curled his right arm behind him and fired the ball like a bullet to the home base.

Davina's brain couldn't process how quickly he hurled the ball. One moment he was curling his arm, the next a ball was fired straight towards her like it was going to beat her head. She tripped backward and the ball struck the wire gate with a gut-whirling _bang!_ behind her and Yankumi.

Yankumi sat in her position, frozen in awe. Her reflexes hadn't been fast enough (honestly she was conditioned enough, but she almost wanted to view the spectacle) to reach out for the ball when it zoomed past her umpire mitt. All eyes were on the ball as it bounced off the gate and slowly dribbled to a halt on the ground.

It took another moment for everyone to process what had just happened while Shin stretched his pitching arm.

Davina could feel the scrapes on her arms and legs from hitting the ground, but she only fell out of the way because she thought the ball was going to hit her. Had she been hit, Davina could have freely walked to first base, but she was determined to earn that base.

"Awesome throw…" Kuma breathed lowly.

"But…you'd think he'd take it easy on his girlfriend…" Uchi muttered, seeing the dazed redhead on the ground, secretly glad he wasn't up against Shin.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Call it." Shin said to Yankumi from the pitcher's base, breaking the long silence.

Yankumi felt everyone's attention gravitate towards her, igniting pressure for a fair call. "Eh? Oh…" She bit her lip, it all happened too fast for her to say with full confidence… "St—ri—ke?"

Davina stood up with a pout and dusted the sand off her clothes and arms. She adjusted her helmet, glaring at shaggy haired boy across the field, yet deep down, admittedly proud of him for the second time that evening. Despite how swiftly he pitched, his stance was so typical Shin-almost bored, effortless, without any visible exertion.

Still...Shin wasn't messing around… Davina had been smug to play along with the charade, but frankly, and now her pride was kicking her in retaliation for _stupidly_ sparking a baseball rivalry with a former elite player. Her thing was ballet and Shin certainly wouldn't boast his dancing talent just for competitive rapport. She couldn't recall what she expected of his pitching skill, but if this was Shin out of practice...how great was he back in the day?

_"Davina, average high school players could pitch between 70 to 80 mph while the elite players could often throw over 90 mph."_

She suddenly could hear dad's ramblings, which her brain possibly and conveniently stored for the odd chance she'd ever play baseball. Davina reached for her bat and shook off the dust, not entirely ready for round two. "How fast was that?" She asked herself.

_Purposefully, _Yankumi weakly threw the ball back to Shin, err, towards Shin. The ball only made it half way down the field and bounced the rest of the way.

"Forty-year old arm there Yankumi?" Horibe shouted from first base.

Yankumi innocently twirled around and smiled cheekily. She uttered some useless comment, blushing innocently about being a weak girl.

Shin rolled his eyes.

Davina gripped the bat tightly, rolling the handle from her fingertips to her palms and then securely in her knuckles. Her gut whirled nervously as she dug her feet squarely at the home base. Shin's throw was probably the curve throws dad always chirped about, she concluded. She racked her memory hard, searching for any profound insight or technique during the numerous occasions her dad watched the sport.

_Shin won't pitch bad balls. He's pitched for years and even out of practice he knows how to divert the ball into the strike zone. So no matter what, swing next time with all your might._

Shin noticed the Davina stare unblinkingly at him in focus, as if to signal she was ready. 3-D silenced again before he stretched his right arm, curled it and hurled the ball.

Davina swung with all her strength but only hit air. She heard the ball slam into Yankumi's mitt, nearly knocking the lithe teacher on her bottom. "Strike two." Yankumi announced.

The redhead groaned louder, gritting her teeth. That had been a_ straight_ throw when she assumed he was going to curve it again. She shouldn't have presupposed and if he managed one more strike, she'd have to eat her smug words. Even if she couldn't make it to first base, if she could just hit the ball, some ounce of her pride would rest easy.

Shin bounced the ball after he caught it from Yankumi who second time around was less careful about pretending. Davina's swing had missed but soundly whacked the air with impressive strength. Had she hit the ball, the outfielders would have had to sprint to catch it. He peered behind his shoulder at the infielders and outfielders. Hazuma and Mori were conversing in the grass casually, smoothing their hair in anticipation of approaching a girl's team on the opposing field.

He wished to alert them to focus because if Davina had managed, by some miracle, to slug the ball far into the grass, she'd reach home base before distracted Hazuma and Mori even realized anything. Shin remembered though, that as pitcher he had more control and that it was his best interest to not let her leave the home base.

Is he going to curve it or straight? Davina mulled as Shin stretched and paused to pitch. He chucked the ball but it curved too wide. Davina didn't swing but before she could beat herself up for her third strike, Yankumi called it. "Ball. Outside of the strike zone."

Shin grunted and Davina heaved a deep breath when blood rushed in her veins joyfully. Had she swung anyway, it would have been a strike. She hadn't lost yet.

"Wakatta Dabina-chan?" Yankumi approached her before throwing the ball to Shin. "Key moment. Two strikes and one ball. One more strike and you're out. Three more balls and you can freely walk to first base."

Davina nodded meekly, mulling the odds in her head.

"Do your best, ne?" Yankumi patted her shoulder and replaced her umpire mask squarely on her face. "Sawada is certainly doing his best." She muttered as she crouched into position. Davina breathed a laugh.

Behind the wire gate, the batting team huddled together eagerly with bated breath.

"This is exciting." Shitori uttered, lifting his cap.

"This is the longest it's been without a fight breaking out." Uchi stated.

"Or a batter getting disqualified…" Minami added.

"Do you think she'll make it to a base?" Kuma asked, chewing an onigiri nervously.

Minami swayed reluctantly. "The odds aren't in her favor. Shin's in control."

"Even if Dabina made it to first base, none of us can probably hit a ball pitched by Shin's cannon arm. She'd have to hit a home run...or distract the other players long enough to reach all four plates."

"For our team's sake, I hope she scores a point. Say, what's the score again?" Takeda nudged Matsudaira.

"0-0." The wild haired kid answered, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Eh?! Aren't we in our eleventh inning?"

"We're still playing because no team has scored a point yet… It's been sudden death for two innings."

"The tension is thick in the air." Noda dramatically narrated before sipping his water jug.

Shin stretched his arm leisurely.

Davina stretched her arms, neck and legs too to match Shin and planned carefully. Is he going to curve or straight throw? He might not trust his curve ball after that last one, so he might straight throw. Yet I have a better chance of hitting a straight throw… She shut her eyes to withdraw from the situation for a moment.

What would my dad say? _He's trying to psyche you out, _said her dad's voice with odd clairvoyance. There was much to be said about mental stability and having a conversation with someone else inside your head, but Davina went with it…

Her memory went back to a game she watched with her dad as a nine year old, back when they still watched games together. Kenneth roared with disbelief when the Red Sox batter swung and got a second strike. Then the pitcher threw a bad ball, causing two strikes and one ball stakeout.

_"The pitcher is going to curve it. Watch."_

_"I don't get why." Davina scratched her head. "One more strike and he's out. The pitcher has control."_

_"The odds are in his favor so it's obvious he's going to do a risky throw."_

_"He can mess up two more times and still strike them out before they get a free walk." Davina asked, hugging her knees and pressing her chin into her arms. "What so risky about that?"_

_ "Because the batter expects the risk. Watch."_

_The pitcher threw the ball and the batter whacked the ball powerfully into the outfield. Davina blinked and missed the angle of the ball's projectile, but her father jumped from the couch with a victorious cry. "I told you, sweetheart."_

Davina opened her eyes and fixed her focus back on Shin. His arm curled and he threw the ball. She was unsure if her own imagination saw the ball curving on the edge of the strike zone, but she swung with all her might, shutting her eyes as she did so. Her bat collided with impact and the bat's weight struck back. The bat flew out of her hands to her left side. She couldn't see the ball in front of her or behind with Yankumi—

"Run Dabina!" Yankumi cried, throwing off her umpire mask to gaze into the sky.

"Hazuma! Mori!" Oishi exclaimed as the ball flew into the grass. The two boys hopped into action, waving their mitts up frantically.

The ball hit the grass and Hazuma bent forward to grab it. Davina reached first base and decided to risk running to second with Hazuma still hunched in the grass.

"Pay attention!"

Hazuma jumped up and threw the ball to first base.

"Idiot! You were supposed to throw it to second!" Horibe roared, missing the ball. He tripped on the sand and without getting up, chucked the ball to Sengoku at second.

The ball hit the second baseman's mitt but bounced out right as Davina touched the second plate. The ball bounced behind him and Sengoku ran after it.

"Run to third!" The players behind the fence cried, shaking the cage.

Davina hectically listened and sprinted, acknowledging in the back of her head that if Sengoku threw the ball to Maeda at third, she wouldn't make it in time.

Sengoku threw the ball, but it curved towards outfield. Maeda ran after it, while colorfully cursing Maeda. She neared the plate right as Maeda grasped the ball in his mitt. She slid and touched the base. She'd be safe and she hadn't outrun the plate. However, with one last bit of risk, Davina stood on the third plate and bolted even faster towards home.

"You should have stayed at third!"

"Go! Go to home plate!" Conflicting shouts from the gate echoed throughout the field.

Maeda threw the ball to Shin who ran and caught it with ease. In a smooth motion, he saw Davina running towards the home base and hurled the ball to Yankumi.

"Yankumi!" Multiple students shouted and Yankumi nearly jumped out of her skin.

The dorky teacher caught the ball successfully and Davina began slowing down, expecting to get tagged out…

…however, panicked Yankumi threw the ball back to Shin whose eyes widened in disbelief. "Yankumi!" He shouted as he caught the ball and ran with incredible speed to home base.

Davina and Shin both touched the home base within milliseconds of each other. Shin's mitt pressed against her arm when she slid home. They remained perfectly still, making perfectly sure that both had touched the base, fair and square.

They both stared at Yankumi, waiting for her judgment.

Yankumi held both arms up decisively. "Safe!"

Shin grunted and Davina jumped up, grinning from ear to ear. She tossed her batter's helmet aside and shook out her hair.

"Awesome!" The boys yelped, shaking the batter's cage.

"You mean, we scored a point?" Kuma uttered.

"Don't get smug." Shin muttered. "That was all luck. If Yankumi wasn't so inept at the rules of the game—"

"What was that? What did I do wrong?" Yankumi cut in, pointing to her nose.

"She would have tagged you out." Shin continued.

Doing a little victory dance, Davina taunted. "Don't blame Yankumi, Shin-_chan_—"

The players behind the batters cage recoiled as if anticipating violence.

"She went there?" Uchi winced.

"Yeah, I think they are going to break up over this." Noda said and the others nodded.

"You were the pitcher of the ball I hit. If you had _successfully _struck me out on that last throw,_ instead of being neglectful_, it would have meant the end of the inning." Davina winked, ending it there, hunching over to catch her breath from sprinting. Honestly, she would have miscalculated if Shin had decided to straight throw the ball and got her third strike.

Without retorting, Shin shook his head. When the edges of his lips twitched, he nudged her shoulder back playfully.

"And that's the game." Yankumi heaved with relief before checking her watch. "How many hours did we play before a team finally scored a point…?"

"Who are those guys playing?" Chirped a bunch of girly voices outside the batters cage. 3-D peered over their shoulders and recognized the players from the adjacent field. "I've never seen them around here before."

The boys smoothed their hair and clothes with giddy grins, priming themselves to flirt.

"Yeah, they're not regulars. Only the pitcher is any good—"

The boys winced painfully, freezing as they licked their fingers to smooth down their brows.

"The rest are really amateur."

That was the final nail in the boys' coffins. Their faces turned blue from holding their breath, fighting the urge to shout back at them, 'whatever! You slags aren't that pretty anyway!'

The boys felt their hearts sink deeper when they noticed their baseball crush, Yoshida, among four other pretty girls sitting in the belches. Still clad in her matching sports gear, they seemed to have just finished their practice session.

"You know," The girl's tone of voice changed. "I don't think I'd mind too much if the guy I'm dating isn't that great at baseball. You wouldn't want him to be better than you?"

"_Sou sou._" A couple of girls agreed.

"As long as they love the sport, it's alright, right?"

The boys' toothy grins returned with full conviction.

"Sahh, I can't remember the last time baseball was only a game." The boys saw Yoshida utter somberly.

The moment they swoop in around them to flirt, Yoshida stood up and stepped down the bench.

"Ayumu?" One of her friends called.

"I'll be back." Yoshida smiled, yet seemingly mentally preoccupied.

"Chouto…but wait..." The friend said and the boys watched their crush stroll away. However, they weren't deterred; they had survived hours of baseball so they believed they earned the privilege of talking to female baseball players.

"We're passionate about the game too." Minami opened smoothly, sitting a few seats away to appear casual.

Noda tilted his head, and muttered in a broody, self-pitying voice. "It's unfortunate that we're so rubbish at it."

"We'd love to learn more so we do our best to practice." Oishi added and the boys nodded.

"Would you guys like pointers?" One of the girls smiled sympathetically.

"Yeah you guys have potential but…you're really unorganized." Another added.

Despite the criticism, the boys beamed. _Regardless of the final score, at last, everyone is victorious!_

Minami flipped open his phone and closed the physical gap between himself and the girls. "We'd love to go over pointers sometime. How about giving us your number?"

The girls' eyes widened with surprise. "Eh?"

* * *

Yoshida wandered back over to her field, unzipped her sports bag and opened her phone. She checked her contact list and sighed with relief to have not erased a particular contact. She quickly drummed her thumbs on the keypad but paused a long time before sending her message, her insides churning with indecision.

She watched the other side of the field where a dorky-looking coach, a redheaded foreigner and the team's pitcher were chatting.

The redhead scampered off with the coach to collect their personal bags, both talking fast and unceremoniously despite polite procedures between coach and player. They both faced the outfield, and pointed randomly at the bases, probably talking about how the redhead had run to all the bases. Yoshida couldn't help but notice that the two women looked a little too slender and too small muscularly in the legs and arms to be regular baseball players. And was the redhead seriously wearing eye shadow to play baseball?

Yoshida glanced over to the teammates she left with the teenage boys, able to point out precisely which girls had insisted on refreshing their mascara before and after practice.

She saw the pitcher run a hand through his hair before sitting on a team bench and her courage withered again. Her thumb stayed on the selection button, actually quivering. She clenched her eyes and with a gentle _click_ her phone screen displayed an icon delivering the message.

On the other side of the field, Shin gathered his belongings and baseball gear by himself while his friends flirted in the belches and Yankumi and Davina chatted on the field.

Near the other batting cage, Yoshida was also preparing to leave.

By chance, they turned and caught the other staring. Yoshida's blood froze, feeling as if she were spotted red-handedly staring at him with her phone open in front of her.

* * *

"Alright, I'm one step closer to getting my first place trophy." Yankumi boasted as she sipped her water bottle, scheming seriously about the upcoming Sport's Day.

"Trophy?" Davina repeated like a parrot, trying the word on her lips.

"Neh, Dabina-chan…it was great of both of you to rush over." Yankumi smile innocently, conveniently changing the topic.

Davina smiled fondly, glancing up subtly at Shin as he stood alone, gathering his things. "I'm glad we did. Shin was sweet to join me for the ceremony. If he hadn't, I might not have bothered to come here at all."

Yankumi noticed the object of Davina's smile and her torso swelled with warm emotion. Her head tilted in admiration and she swayed happily. Despite the unpleasant situations Davina had recently dealt with, it was wonderful to see Shin still brought elation to her life. "Must be nice." Yankumi added, exhaling merrily.

"To think I almost pushed him away." Davina admitted, still with a smile but with noticeably less mirth.

Yankumi hadn't expected the confession but knew immediately to what Davina was referring. The teacher nodded her head slowly. "It's strong isn't? That indescribable feeling that can miraculously trump pride."

Davina blushed while tucking a loose piece of hair to her ear to avoid the teacher's enduring smile. "Betsuni."

Yankumi decided not to tease further. "I hope you don't mind me saying…" The teacher sat on a bench and Davina joined her. They both gazed out at the field, at 3-D's lively antics, practicing baseball and trying to flirt with the girl team.

"The moment I started with 3-D, they _loudly _rebelled and expressed their distrust of authority and teachers. You don't gain that sort of resentment overnight. It festers through continuous betrayal and disappointment. It takes at least the same amount of time to cut it down. I promised them that I would use all my efforts to make sure they graduated."

Uchi pulled out his guitar and immediately the girls surrounded him attentively, ready to be serenaded. Yankumi and Davina watched him adjust his strings meticulously and then strum the strings skillfully.

"I _think_ now they're starting to believe me. I haven't given up on them individually, even at their worst. I hope deep down that my efforts will be enough for whatever the future holds. I thought I had my work cut out for me."

Minami and Matsudaira were luring girls away from Uchi's music, their phones out in their hands ready to take numbers.

Yankumi's tone changed slightly and she patted the dust off her track pants. "And then _you_ came along."

Davina faced Yankumi with raised brows. "Huh?"

"Curve ball, right? It's what they call an unexpected pitch in baseball." Yankumi continued. "When I met you, I assumed you were opposite of 3-D, more trusting of teachers, of _me_, maybe because you politely called me Yamaguchi-sensei for a long time. Looking back I'm not sure why I assumed that…"

Davina listened, thoughtfully gazing at the sky, which still glinted with orange. Sparse dark clouds were swept across like wet paint strokes as the wind blew gently. In the distance, individual compartments in skyscrapers were flickering on one by one as the evening progressed.

The gentle wind blew at their backs, slight relief to the humidity. Yankumi tilted back casually to also gaze at the sky.

"I don't distrust you, Yankumi." Davina uttered seriously but Yankumi waved her hand to gesture that hadn't been what she meant.

"Don't worry. I know, especially after Inoue and Tsuchida. I will admit that I expected you to break sooner." The teacher pictured her bruised arms from the police station and was amazed to see the discolorations had all but disappeared. A little too fast to be true, Yankumi was more than acquainted with how long bruises needed to heal, but she couldn't complain if those hideous marks were gone.

"I assumed that you would have listened to me for the sake of following rules and courtesy. I see now your means of rebellion aren't as loud or visible as 3-D. I also see that the strength of my influence depends on Sawada. You'll only trust me as much as he does, right Dabina-chan?"

Davina picked at the hem of her jersey, pondering Yankumi's observation, unsure if she fully agreed. "I've been unlucky in that I haven't had a teacher like you, Yankumi." She tilted her head towards the rambunctious group of boys. "Whether or not they realize it yet, they're very lucky to know an adult who tries to understand. I apologize for underestimating you, Yankumi."

Yankumi was flattered, noticing for all of Sawada's teasing, Davina was quite perceptive and that he probably knew that too. "I was sad at first but then I thought from your shoes. 'Why should she trust me? We are connected by our tutoring efforts and Sawada, but ultimately, there is zero connection.' You were escorted off Shirokin grounds just because you weren't my student. However, even though you are not my homeroom student, hearing about your possible expulsion because of Inoue and Tsuchida _made my blood boil._ The urge to protect you from that was the same I felt when Kuma, Uchiyama, Minami, Noda and Sawada faced expulsion."

Yankumi's serious tone became cheery again. "So I want to declare to you Dabina-chan that I will make sure that you will graduate…next March or May or June or _whatever_ month depending upon how your American system works_…_" Yankumi scratched her head and Davina chuckled.

Warmed by the unexpected yet pleasant exchange, Davina bowed her head. "Arigatou, sensei."

* * *

Shin's phone rang and indicated a new text message.

Yoshida lifted her chin to watch for any changes in his expression, any honest indication of his thoughts. Her chest pounded.

Shin lifted the phone, checked the ID, shifting his hair from his eyes. He looked for two long seconds before merely tossing the phone into his bag without interest.

Davina then sauntered up to him, chatting animatedly about a joke from 3-D. Shin set his bag strap to his shoulder then he coyly brushed his fingers through the ends of her hair. She reached up and squeezed his hand to keep him in her grasp.

Yoshida looked down at her phone. The interface remained normal, but she opened her inbox anyway. "No new messages." The phone robotically announced.

She peered down field again while the redhead was still talking. Yoshida's stomach twisted when Shin interlaced his fingers with hers. They then strolled together towards their friends, hand in hand, albeit shyly tucked inside his sweatshirt pocket. He leaned in closely and murmured something over her ear as they observed the rowdy group, causing her glance away and secretly smile.

No mistaking what she had just witnessed-though she indulged the fact that the display was purposeful for her viewing. Yoshida looked on at the scene before her, without an ounce of doubt, refusing to acknowledge the ripping sensation in her chest. Somewhere deep inside, hidden from her expressive face, she felt sour twists and pangs. Once upon a time she filled him with trepidation too, and that fact was cooling relief to the complicated yearning festering within. She shut her phone, swearing she'd communicate with Shin if she wished. Maybe he didn't respond because he got the wrong idea? Or perhaps he was still furious with her. The redhead, she saw again, was lithe and dainty in Yoshida's perception and stuck out like a sore thumb among the rough teenage boys, begging all sorts of question.

Yoshida stared on at the sight, perplexed by the gathering. She narrowed her attention on Shin and opened his profile in her contact list. His photo was tiny but his face younger, hair fully black. The longer haired, streaks of blond, taller, casually dressed almost-adult as different from the uniformed boy she had taken a photo of years prior. Yoshida wondered what else had changed about Sawada Shin.

* * *

"You know, instead of buttering my parents up with that college talk, you should have talked to my dad about baseball. He would love you after that." Davina finally said to Shin, strolling out of the field, surrounded by the lively masses of 3-D and Yankumi. The thought had been floating around in her head, waiting for an appropriate moment for expression.

Street lamps flickered on one by one on the pedestrian pavement, compensating for nightfall. Commuters uneasily drifted along side the 3-D group, intimidated by their large number and rowdiness.

"Tonight was a success!" Minami announced, parading with 3-D who agreed with dozens of fists flying into the air with 'yosh!'

Yankumi grinned, mimicking her students by adding her hand to their bunch. "Yep, the game was a little unusual, but I'm sure with what we have learned today, we'll be able to conquer Sport's Day!"

The boys paused with gobsmacked faces at each other before smirking at Yankumi.

Noda hovered near the dorky teacher. "Yankumi…are we on the same page?"

Yankumi blinked with large youthful eyes. "Page? What are you talking about?"

Uchi held his phone up like a prized trophy. "A total of _four_ new phone numbers."

Yankumi's nostrils flared. "You guys…"

Noda playfully patted the teacher, almost tenderly on the head.

Reminded of Davina's father, Shin readily recalled Sam's personal warning. It was bizarre for a young man to express caution to a rival, unless they were genuine. Shin knew Sam's words about Davina's father were true; the parent's suspicions were something Shin was aware of. Yet, Sam's fleeting words pricked his brain like a thorn.

_"I'm aware of her father." Shin responded soundly._

_"Trust me, you're not."_

He also suddenly pictured Yoshida's yearning stare from the field and felt a sense of déjà vu. He securely squeezed Davina's hand in his pocket.

"Admit it." Davina's voice pulled him away from his train of thought. "You happily surrendered that information because you knew it would impress them."

Shin wondered back to his intentions before shaking his head, his shaggy hair fluttering. "I wasn't trying anything."

"You answered honestly and you're clever enough to _know _that would impress them." She insisted. "If the roles were reversed, I would do the same."

"Parents don't have to agree with everything you do." Shin mumbled lowly.

The significance of his statement was presently lost on the redhead. Shin's parents were still a question mark. As the impatience for answers welled inside, the mutual promise they made earlier in the evening was a stopper on the flooding faucet, so to speak. Unconsciously, Davina was urged to touch her shoulder, where under her jersey, Shin's smudged words still remained.

"Is that what you think?" She raised a brow, skeptically.

They looked at each other expressively, confirming their disagreement. Neither verbalized their identical passing thought, _how wrong you are..._

Kuma rubbed his belly eagerly. "Man, I'm hungry."

The others 'ehn'ed in agreement.

Uchi weaved his way through the crowd to narrow in on Shin and Davina. "And you two?"

"We already ate—" Shin responded.

"Is that Shin's smooth way of getting more alone time to do smart moves?" Noda yapped _quite loudly_.

Davina's cheeks burned from embarrassment as there was a unanimous howl around her. "We didn't _say _we weren't joining—"

"Sah, but as guy friends aren't we supposed to encourage our guy friend to have as much quality time with a girl as much as possible?" Minami sighed, calculating with Noda, Kuma and Uchi.

"_Sou, sou_." They wholly agreed.

"We were protective with Minami and Ayumi-chan, right?" Kuma added. "Allowed Minami as much alone time as he wanted."

"Yeah, but we can tease Dabina-chan, neh?" Noda roughly messed her hair.

Davina rolled her eyes and tilted away from Noda's hand. She skipped up to Kuma and chirped in her best impression of cutesy Japanese girl. "Kuuuuuuumaaaaiiii-kuuuun."

"Ku_mai_?" Minami muttered.

"Kun?" Noda finished.

"Not even Yankumi calls him that anymore…" Uchi gritted his teeth in disbelief.

"What are you craving, Kumai-kun?" Davina asked.

Instantly forgetting about the honorific and full surname, Kuma rubbed his belly as if to ask the rumbles in his stomach what it preferred. "Sah…maybe Chinese today."

"Does that mean Dabina-chan has cut off all license to make fun of her by going all formal?" Noda asked.

"Maybe." Shin fleetingly answered.

* * *

The petite hostess of the Chinese restaurant nearly fainted when she welcomed the whole of 3-D, plus two into the modest establishment. With twenty-eight people, they were given a long table to accommodate twelve and then some were sectioned off to other tables.

"The atmosphere seems authentic, right?" Kuma sighed merrily, inhaling the rich aromas wafting from the kitchens. Davina gazed at the immaculately white infrastructure, black wooden pillars, red chairs, and balloon-shaped chandeliers illuminating dim, yet warm light through the whole of the restaurant. Before sitting down, she noticed some of the artwork and in particular, a framed portrait of a man.

"Is that actually Mao Zedong?" She asked more in surprise than actually needing confirmation.

Shin looked in the direction of her vision, hiked a brow at her and nodded. "There are all sorts of Communist paraphernalia in here." She glanced at the art pieces and glass cases once more and realized the pattern: Mao badges, a red scroll with six faces (Marx, Engels, Stalin, Lenin, Kim and Mao) and art pieces featuring Mao with a smile, with his right outstretched with rays of red radiating from him to civilians.

Shin pointed to a scroll, purposefully stroked the ends of her hair before sitting down near the edge of the table. Davina looked at the kanji, and her brain felt like it was melting in a microwave. She nearly gave up but she recognized a few key characters from her Japanese studies. She knew Chinese and Japanese had many false friends, but she persisted. She couldn't read the whole message, but from what she could gather, part of it said, 'the East is Red.' Davina immediately touched where Shin's fingers had just been and chuckled.

Davina sat near the end of the long table next to Yankumi, facing Shin. "Are you trying to say my hair endorses Communism?"

Yankumi panned between them, her pigtails spinning around her head. She only caught the closing statement between them, intrigued, what did hair have to do with Communism? The teacher saw her student slouch, with a hand and menu conveniently covering his smirk as he pretended to read. Davina was also smiling at her menu, occasionally averting her eyes down, as if timid from her own smile.

Sitting at the edge of the table, Yankumi viewed all of her students in profile and she chuckled at the observation that if it weren't for their shyness and hiding behind menus, the teenagers would be smiling at each other.

The boys ordered a mass selection of dishes while Davina ordered dumplings at Kuma's insistence. "Order something small that can be shared."

The waiters brought rotating trays for sharing and delivered several steaming, mouth-watering entrees, Peking duck, dandan noodles, dongpo pork, mapo tofu, dumplings and a whole sea bass. The aromas made Davina's full stomach crave food.

The rotating trays spun around as the boys helped themselves, stacking their plates with bits of every dish. Davina opened the bamboo basket, enjoying the vapory steam warm her face. "Have some Shin." She offered.

"Hmm, sharing one serving of dumplings…" Yankumi sighed with a goofy smile.

"Why are you here again?" Shin's deep voice cracked through the teacher's carefree muse. Yankumi had been reaching for a bit of pork but nearly dropped it on the duck from a distracted fit of clumsiness.

Yankumi recomposed herself, filled her plate and sat down. "Last time I left you guys to your own devices at night, several of my students and Dabina-chan got drunk on my watch."

Davina's stomach actually lurched from memory of her hangover. Her tongue remembered the sugary taste of alcohol and bile crept up her throat. She watched Shin's chopsticks pick a dumpling but her appetite temporarily vanished.

Uchi pursed his lips doubtfully. "We weren't _even _that sloshed."

Yankumi's jaw fell wide. "You guys—were _so _terrible! Dizzy wobbling! I would have been fired if Headteacher had found out."

Suddenly the cheery atmosphere subsided as the boys bowed their heads with guilt.

"We're sorry, Yankumi." Davina apologized first, bowing her head towards the teacher. "Please continue to take care of us."

Yankumi's lips twitched until she finally smiled to lessen the serious mood. "I'm still here, aren't I? Just don't touch the stuff again until you're all of age."

Davina faintly heard grumbles of "as if."

"Aka-chan becomes very candid after a few." Kuma freely uttered, causing the redhead to lean forward on the table to glare at him.

"Candid?" Yankumi repeated and the others slapped Kuma on the back of the head. The fine hairs on Davina's neck rose as she racked her brain, trying to remember if she had admitted anything embarrassing.

"You called Shin-chan _sweetheart_." Uchi added flippantly, leaving out how she confessed to how she met Shin.

"And crawled into his lap like a cat." Noda said with a mouth full of fish.

"And you were talking to that guy." Kuma uttered, again insensitively. The boys slapped his head again.

Davina avoided Shin's gaze. "Meanwhile, you guys chased everything in a skirt with long legs." She countered with an eye roll. "And I'm _still _adamant that the last one you catcalled was a _guy_."

The boys recoiled, wondering what had been going on in their heads at that point in time… The four of them looked to Davina in reconciliation and Noda squeezed his fingertips together to gestured sealed lips.

In the corner of her eye, she saw Shin preoccupy himself with eating a dumpling with his staple poker face. She couldn't see if Shin had been perturbed by Kuma's misleading comment. With a sigh, Davina reached out with her chopsticks towards a dumpling when Yankumi spoke to her.

The teacher looked at her watch. "Neh, Dabina-chan, won't your family be wondering as to where you've gone? You must have left the ceremony early."

"Hmm, I haven't thought too much about it." Davina considered, as Shin ate another dumpling. She imagined that, definitely by then, her parents had noticed that she, with Shin, had left. "They'll call if they're concerned."

"_Demo_—" Yankumi protested, wondering if their relationship was really so passive.

Davina's chopsticks closed on air. She stood to peer into the bamboo steamer and gaped. All the dumplings were gone. Poof! Gone! For effect, she lifted the bamboo steamer as if to look underneath—definitely none there.

She slowly regained her seat, staring daggers at Shin. "You didn't leave any—"

"You were too slow." He remarked.

"I was talking to Yankumi _for a second._"

"Too…slow." He repeated, guiltless.

Uchi loudly smacked a hand on the table in self-contentment. "We _told_ you, Aka-chan."

"Didn't we tell her? Just last week?" Noda exclaimed, snapping his fingers in recollection.

"Can't tell you how many times this has happened to us." Minami muttered.

Davina pouted and set her chopsticks down in frustration. "You really don't mind at all, do you?" She said to Shin who, to her utter disbelief, _shrugged_.

"Welcome to the club, Dabina-chan." Kuma said. He took her plate and added samples of each dish. "You'll love the dongpo, but don't you dare take off the fat! Eat it whole and it will simply melt in your mouth."

Davina was surprised by the direct and harsh tone Kuma used, or rather surprised that she had noticed the tone he used to insist she eat the fat. She wasn't insulted—he had just handed her a warm plate of food—but she was amazed at how she sensed the rudeness of his words. She had never been tuned to honorifics or subtle differences between polite and street language—she had only been grateful if she understood, regardless of courtesy. "A little rude…despite kindly handing me a plate of food." Davina remarked in English.

"You're beginning to understand." Shin responded, drawing perplexed stares from others when they realized they were conversing in English.

"Oi, Noda, you understand any of that?" Minami nudged his friend.

"Maybe if they repeated…slowly." Noda scratched the back of his neck.

Davina tried a square of pork, opening her mouth wide to eat it whole as Kuma suggested. After two chews, Davina ignored everything else around to relish the juicy taste and texture. Her bitter annoyance with Shin forgotten, forgiven, everything. "That's amazing Kuma!"

Kuma proudly smiled. "Yep, it's one of my favorite Chinese dishes. If my old man wasn't so useless he'd offer the item on the family restaurant menu. You don't have the right to call yourself a Chinese restaurant without dongpo, I keep telling him."

"Why not?" Davina asked, trying some of the fish. Again her eyes lulled from soft yet finely seasoned sea bass. The redhead was barely paying attention when Kuma continued.

"Because we're not a real Chinese restaurant." He cried passionately. "I don't care though. There are other ramen places." He said_ while obviously caring_.

Davina tried the dandan noodles, which Kuma had sprinkled with soup, and felt her insides melt with joy. As wonderful as the food tasted, Davina couldn't help but think of the last time she had commented on Kuma's family and how he snapped at her. Ramen shops were a dime a dozen in Tokyo but she wished to say that other ramen places were not Kumai's ramen.

"I remember when we went there. I've tried all kinds of ramen but it's rare for ramen to be memorable."

"Right, right." Yankumi agreed.

"I remember the gold curtain shades, the fine painting on the bowls and the mouth-watering aroma from the kitchens. Most of all, I remember the taste. The broth's texture was thicker like soup rather than just hot water dressed with some seasoning—I drank the whole bowl, which I rarely do. The noodles had a rich wheat grain taste, almost chewy."

Yankumi sighed, staring at the ceiling reflectively. "I could go for some."

"You just ate." Minami remarked from the other side of the table.

"But…I don't know…" Kuma stuttered.

Davina interrupted him by handing him her plate. "May I have some of the duck?" Kuma, almost wistful, sighed. Davina began again, purposefully loud enough for much of the table to hear. "You know…I was telling Murosaki how I thought Kuma had excellent taste in food."

The boys put down their chopsticks and circled around Davina and Kuma. The plump boy's cheeks were already as red as Davina's hair.

"Eh! When we you two talking?" Uchi prodded, poking her shoulder with an end of a chopstick.

"Oh…just recently." Davina teased. "She was asking about your good qualities, she seemed _so _interested."

"And! What else did Aka-chan say?"

"I said Kuma is one of the more sweet—"

"Such a girl word." Minami snorted.

"—_and_ one of the most keenly aware when others may not notice." Davina continued. "She said her favorite cuisine is Chinese and I said _what a coincidence!_" Davina's voice rose piercingly, as she dramatically slapped both palms to her cheeks in 'shock'.

Shin cringed at her imitation of shrill, cutesy Japanese girl voice. With her accent, her voice, and hearing it from _her_ it sounded far too fake.

"Kuma's favorite cuisine is Chinese too!"

Kuma's entire face was as red as an apple as the boys turned their attention and teasing to entirely on him.

"She's bitten the bait and now's the time to reel her in." Minami gestured a fishing rod.

"What the hell are you guys saying?" Kuma cried, failing to hard his embarrassment as the boys chided him.

"Neh, Dabina-chan, you mind asking Murosaki and her friends to schedule a group date for the rest of us?"

Davina hiked a brow and crossed her arms, remembering how they were fishing for phone numbers just a few hours prior, and then cheering their success. "Omae wa…you're relentless." The right Japanese adjective didn't materialize fast enough in her brain so she switched to English half way in her statement. She turned away and ate her food quietly for the rest of the dinner.

"What?"

"I didn't catch that."

"Does that mean yes?"

Davina purposefully stuffed her mouth with a large chunk of duck to avoid their questions. She spotted Shin's chopsticks steal a dongpo pork square and smacked his hand with her chopsticks.

Too busy chewing, she didn't say, you too are also relentless.

* * *

"If you hadn't been 'neglectful' and if you were paying attention-" Shin began, teasing her about the dumplings and pork.

Davina's shoulders dropped "You were supposed to eat your smug words, not me. One day you're going to realize that I'm not as unobservant as you think." She retorted, poking his cheek.

"You would have been tagged out before reaching second base if we had more seasoned players and umpire." He said bitterly.

"I thought someone said that he wasn't going to let me reach _any _bases, let alone first."

"That was luck."

"Are you that sore of a loser, Sawada?"

Behind the playful bickering, Yankumi, Uchi, Minami, Noda and Kuma trailed a safe distance away.

"I'm still concerned that they won't be friends after this…" Minami said what was on all of their minds as they eavesdropped when Davina and Shin brought up the game _yet again._

"She just called him 'Sawada'." Uchi scratched his blond hair.

"You know, something I've realized about those two…" Noda began wistfully, swinging his sports bag. "Neither of them can stand to lose."

"Shin is a bit of a perfectionist—if it's something he cares about." Kuma added.

The five of them looked to Davina and analyzed their observations of her from the last few weeks. Always immaculately dressed, physically poise, frequently practicing her ballet technique…yet those things boiled down from a need for control.

Perfectionist fit her snug like a glove. "Definitely." The boys huffed in unison.

"Who ever thought sports could be so detrimental to romance?" Minami sighed while thoughtfully cupping his chin.

"There's no reason for any of you to follow." Shin muttered.

Yankumi replied, despite not being singled out for once. "I'm just following because I don't want any funny business to happen. Dabina-chan doesn't always have to be the only girl, neh?"

"I wouldn't consider you a girl, Yankumi." Uchi teased, causing Yankumi's nostrils to flare as her blood boiled. She slapped him on the back of the head.

* * *

_Slap!_

Down the hill, a figure slowly inched out of the shadows. The young man peeked around the brick wall and spotted the 3-D group. He bit his lip reluctantly as he recognized the teenagers. As the group strolled, he noticed a small, bi-speckled woman and a redhead he was sure he had seen before.

Just the day prior he saw her enter the base freely with her personal ID card. The world is full of cruel coincidences, he grimaced. He needed to get into the base but they wouldn't admit him anymore without invitation from a resident. Those guys—_those wretched guys—_had a connection.

"Impossible." He grunted before kicking a stone and turning in the opposite direction with his head ducked down.

* * *

Davina yawned and stretched merrily as she crawled out of bed. Judging by the sun light that peeked through her blinds, she could leave the umbrella at home. She expected a calm, easy Sunday with an abundance of dance practice and perhaps some brunch with Mira and Jayla (but absolutely no kanji practice). Maybe they could go shopping afterwards… She flipped open her phone. There was already a message waiting from Shin.

She opened the messaged and merely saw: 執拗な.

She yawned again and looked carefully at the characters a second time. With a heavy sigh, she sat back on her bed and reached for her massive kanji book, cursing Shin.

After a half hour of searching, she was only slightly closer to figuring out the word. She had found both characters: 執 could have meant something between attending to trouble, obsession, or archaic bowing… meanwhile 拗 could have meant complications or distortion. な or na at the end meant the word must have been an adjective but what did archaic bowing and distortion mean _together?_

To-sune-na? Or Shi-sune-na? Or…etc? Davina checked combinations of the onyomi and kunyomi sounds and couldn't find the word.

She almost wanted to text or, better yet, call and complain as to why he didn't also put the hiragana and save what had become an hour of her time? She was still in her pjs... and was she honestly holding her day hostage until she found that kanji compound?

She kicked a plastic bag near her bed and winced from stubbing her toe. She opened the heavy bag and remembered Jayla's JLPT1 book, feeling rightfully punished for kicking a bag. She turned to the kanji section and gulped, checking the words by character.

The characters and words were printed quite small in text-size. Of course, bigger kanji text would result in an even _larger_ study book, but wouldn't it be tricky to find the right kanji compound—

執拗—な

Davina's finger nearly passed the word, but after panning back and forth between her phone and the page, it was beyond doubt the right compound. She read the Romanized reading—shitsuyō—na. She grunted, impatiently. That hadn't been any of the sound combinations she had searched for in her dictionary… Finally, she read the definition column, restless with anticipation in victoriously texting Shin.

persistent; persevering; stubborn, obstinate; tenacious; _relentless_

She heaved a heavy sigh in defeat, flapping her lips, feeling all enthusiasm of success wither to nothing. She shut the heavy book and shoved it aside, thankful for the weight off her lap. Shin had won _again _and he wasn't even there to utter a punch line. She changed the input on her phone to the Roman alphabet and wrote, 'I still think you are relentless.'

* * *

Clad in a traffic-cone orange jersey, Yankumi allocated her class roaster as evenly as she could to different sport teams. "It's impossible with only twenty-six."

Ready to scold Headteacher and Washio-sensei for carelessly judging the rough but deep down good character of her students, she barely heard the silent statement behind her desk.

"Well, there is still one more left."

Stunned, Yankumi stood and turned to the older male teacher. "Did you say something Ando-sensei?"

Ando proceeded slowly, astounded that the passionate teacher had let someone slip through the cracks. "3-D…has twenty-_seven_ students."

Yankumi dismissed the teacher's count; sure it was an honest mistake. "Impossible, 3-D has twenty-six." She showed her class roaster, pointing to Yagyu on the end of the list. "I know my students through and through, likes and dislikes, hobbies, favorite foods, the type of girls they prefer, etc."

Ando-sensei glanced at the list, seeing that Yagyu Mitsuru was indeed last on her list. "But there's still one more." He held up his index finger.

Yankumi was ready to dismiss him again when her eyes narrowed intensely to the corner of her list. She slammed her book on the counter and pried two pages, sticky at the corner, apart. Another page, with one other unknown name, but the unprecedented '27' declared that the name belonged to a student. Her student.

Yankumi felt a rush of shame for her negligence for not noticing a missing student in her three months at Shirokin. She gazed up at the ceiling, as if to speak to God, "who's this?"

* * *

3-D's homeroom teacher searched awkwardly with her map, passing the same roundabout twice before finding the right house. She gazed at the sizable compound, finely completed with tall sakura trees. "Incredible." She admired the beautiful house. Curiously, she glanced down at the parent profiles. Only one parent was listed, a stay-at-home mother, Yankumi pursed her lips. No father? It wasn't any of her business…but she couldn't help but wonder how a stay-at-home mother could maintain such a beautiful home with no income? Unless she was independently wealthy or an heiress…

She approached the tall gate and had to rise to the tips of her toes to peer over to the pathway decorated with bushes of flowers. She pressed the buzzer and a woman's voice answered. "Yuki residence."

"Oh pardon, I'm Yamaguchi, Kumiko, homeroom teacher of 3-D at Shirokin."

Yankumi heard the woman inhale reluctantly and then buzz the gate open.

She displayed the Sport's day announcement page. "If I may please speak with your son."

"He's not available at the moment."

"Please, I insist."

"He's not home at the moment."

As if cued, the house door opened and a young man huffed as he kicked off his shoes. He wore his house slippers and finally noticed the stranger standing in the corridor. Indifferently, he ignored her and proceeded upstairs.

Yankumi noted the boy's auburn hair, and startlingly green-hazel eyes. For a teenager who was supposed to be in his third year of high school, he looked small in stature. "Yuki! I'm Yamaguchi, Kumiko, homeroom teacher of 3-D at Shirokin." She saw him wince at the mention of Shirokin, but continued cheerily. "Sport's day is coming."

"There's no way I'm going back to that school."

"Please excuse yourself." His mother asked Yankumi politely.

Yankumi bowed her head and smiled at Yuki before leaving.

The teenager furrowed his brows at the dorky teacher as she exited his home. He stepped down the stairs and sat despondently on the bottom step.

"Are you alright, Masato?" His mother asked, busying herself in the kitchen, boiling water in the kettle.

The teenager gruffly exhaled, running a hand through his brown hair. "I don't know _what _has changed—"

Outside Yankumi folded her announcement page and took a step off the porch when she faintly heard raised voices. Guilty in her curiosity, she slyly crouched and placed her ear near the lock.

"Oh no! I told you _not_ go to back there!" Cried his mother.

"He won't see me now and the guards won't let me in or pass him any sort of a message. They took my guest ID card and shredded it." Masato fumed.

His mother sighed calmly. "They told you repeatedly not to go back there. You should leave it alone if it can't be helped."

Yankumi heard a defeated grumble and then pounding up the stairs, followed by a slammed door. She pictured his empty attendance sheet and pondered: what else is going on in her student's life?

* * *

Megan642 :) Thank you for the review! Davina's dad might just be let off, though his wife will probably tease him for it ;) It makes me giddy to hear you say that an update made you giddy. I'm quite pumped for what is coming up (even when I know what's going to happen) and though I can't spoil it, the upcoming situation won't be solved cleanly or neatly in two chapters. For the secrets, I wondered how that scene was going to be received. Nothing particularly risque, but definitely more intimate than a kiss... even _I_ also felt like I was intruding... ^^;

Lady Syndra I respond to your three demands for an update with an update. Hope you enjoyed it and thank you :)

TheSecretSpot Thank you! I'm glad you decided to read it! Were you hesitant because of the OCs? ;) It makes me relieved to hear someone say that Davina is believable (and hopefully not in marysue-deep end). I'm also glad the story itself is believable; I'm sure everyone writing for this fandom knows it's hard to balance jdrama charm and exaggeration with real life.

Happy reading. If anyone has any comments or criticisms, feel free to review (or pm me, whatever tickles your fancy) Cheers!


	25. Chapter 25: Estranged

Counting the Differences

Chapter Twenty-Five: Estranged

* * *

Huddling over their bento boxes and cold cans of coffee, Kuma, Uchi, Minami, Shin and Noda ate their lunches at their desks under the draft of the air conditioner. They had unofficially stopped their lunch days on the roof due to the muggy weather and their secluded side of the school building was the oldest and doomed with weak air-con. They wouldn't be surprised if Sawatari cut their air-con if only in some scheme to force them to drop out.

Minami ran a hand through his rusty colored hair and then fanned his shirt, unable to soothe the humidity sticking to his skin.

Noda flipped open his phone and smacked his lips impatiently. "Hey Uchi, you get any response yet?"

Chewing on a large chunk of rice, the teenager shook his head with pronounced cheeks.

Noda, Minami and Kuma growled, already agitated from the inconsolably hot day.

"Sou, we didn't even get to talk to everyone in their group.

"Like Yoshida-san." Minami hummed in a sing-song tune.

Shin's phone alerted a message. He tipped his chin at the pocket with his phone. Instead of reaching for his mobile, he sipped his cold coffee.

"Too bad she went off before any of us could try." Uchi said, remembering how she excused herself. With a smug sneer, he smoothed his hair. "Good for you lot, I would have swept her off her feet and left a long line of your broken hearts in my wake."

"Should we make a bet on that?" Minami dared, causing Uchi to slam his desk. "Settled! Operation Win Yoshida's Heart begins today!"

Shin's phone alerted another message.

"Remember Yankumi is making us stay to practice for Sport's day." Noda interjected, wiping his sweaty hairline with his sleeve. The thought of exercise on an already unbearable humid day killed the last of his appetite.

"What it's it going to take for Yankumi to stop whining about Sport's day?" Uchi wished to tear down the bright colored sheets of paper covering the chalkboard just so he could stop facing them. Speaking of the covered chalkboard, did Yankumi even _try_ to teach anymore? Apparently she assigned each of them to teams based on what she dubbed "scrupulous calculation of their strengths, weakness and personalities."

…yeah right, all of 3-D thought with a roll of their eyes.

"I wish she _didn't believe in us _just this once. I'd rather not get sweaty. I can't believe she's making us practice." Noda whined like a child.

"She mentioned some kid earlier. Yuki was it?" Uchi asked, getting only a nod from Noda.

The blond noticed his other friends' silence. "Oi, you two got quiet all of a sudden." He pointed at Kuma and Minami. Shin's phone alerted another message. "Yo, Shin, are you going to get that or what?"

The natural light from the high windows dimmed faintly as the overcast clouds thickened. "Maybe a typhoon will blow Sport's day away."

* * *

Leaving for her evening lesson, Davina shut her bedroom door and headed for the living room. The lamps and television were on, the local news talked about a tropical storm developing by Taiwan and Okinawa. Her mother sat by the coffee table, without her reading glasses, casually filing through dozens of papers and personal items.

"Ma, what are you doing?" Davina asked but upon stepping closer, she spotted a colorful box with yellow, red, and blue panels. She froze mid-step, biting her lip, regretting her curiosity.

Her mother nervously scattered the papers, photos, and small toys. Davina saw her clutching a small blue jumpsuit. "Your grandmother and aunt Cerise have badgered me for a long time to bring some photos of you when we visit them. They're always complaining about not having any." Esmée softly answered, with a noticeable snivel in her voice, forcing her normally nonchalant humor.

As Esmée spread the stacked photos, familiar ones surfaced: some from vacation, some from Davina's recitals and next to them was a small teddy bear and a new pair of small shoes still in their original box.

Esmée saw the direction of her daughter's gaze and quietly gathered the toys and clothes. With one bunch she carefully set them inside the colored container next to the untouched stacks of family photos.

Despite the shuffling of papers and toys, the lack of words between them was nerve-wracking. Davina squeezed her bag strap until her knuckles were white. "Speaking of visiting…Johan's wife is pregnant."

Esmée dabbed her puffy eyes and cleared her throat. They both imagined the last time they saw Johan, Esmée's sister's eldest son; a young man fresh out of school, they missed his wedding because of a move back to the United States—something Cerise _never _let her forget.

Davina loved her cousins, and they her despite the passive aggression between their mothers. They were the closest thing she had to siblings.

Davina peered down at her shoes as the depressed expression on her typically humorous mother was unbearable. "Maybe you should give that old stuff away." The teenager immediately regretted her words but had anticipated her mother's protest. Before she could even finish her statement, her mother's face contorted with grief and anger. She spat a crude mix of English and French, stuttering uncharacteristically.

"Davina—"

Desperate to forego the situation, in a swift motion, Davina twisted the front door knob and trudged out.

"How on Earth can you say—"

_Lock!_

The redhead pressed the back of her head against the metal numbers 404 on her home door. She faced 405 down the hall, breathing slowly and deeply to drive out the speeding thoughts in her head. Remembering her urgency for class, she smoothed her loose bun when her phone alerted a message: Shin.

Alone in the elevator, she listened to the hum of the passing floors. She stretched her arm over her left shoulder, where Shin's words had long washed away. There were no traces of ink left (but that still didn't stop her from checking the tall ballet studio mirrors during class) and nor was there a recording of her words to Shin, but the promise was intact. She couldn't easily forget the feeling of wet ink sinking into her skin. The promise was only made a short while prior but her mind raced from the acknowledgement that she would need to make good on it soon. _Far _sooner than she expected.

* * *

Yuki Masato purposefully disabled the motion-activated porch light. Slow and quiet, he shut his home door behind him, gripping the knob to soften the click of the lock as much as possible. He tiptoed around the wooden panels that cracked from weight. He climbed over his fence, along the brick side, not wishing to risk the noisy gate lock. The gentle hop of his shoes on the pavement and the soft click of the front door lock were the only slips of silence and with the road nearby, he was confident he could sneak by unnoticed.

Still…the teenager peered over his shoulder and exhaled from seeing no one on the suburban street.

That teacher would have _surely_ given up by now, he concluded. Unable to remember her name, but he could draw from memory her glasses, pigtails and jersey suit. She was rude, trying to drag him back to school so she could win a Sport's day trophy for glory. She was gone now. Teachers…always showed their true indifference in the end.

Head ducked and hands shoved in pocket, Yuki strode to the bus stop.

Yankumi peeked out from a rose bush. She had a thorn poking her behind and leaves folded in her hair, but she didn't move until her student was out of ear-shot. During her numerous visits to his house, she always caught him sneaking back _into _his home. "Where does he go every day?" She asked no one before bounding out of the bush to follow him.

* * *

The ballerina glanced along her shoulder reflected in the mirror as she completed her stretches, picturing the dark ink and Shin's hands. She turned away when her cheeks flushed. More of her skin was exposed in her leotard than the dress she had worn that day, even slightly unzipped…

Her hair tie loosened and red tresses swept along her ear.

"Eyes off the floor Saminsu. And fix that bun."

Davina obeyed, fixing her bun before staring straight ahead at the dark haired ballerina in front of her along the barre.

Seven pairs of arms reached forward, supple and graceful, their lean arms extending like illusion in the mirrors. The girls bent forward and back with effortless beauty earned from years of stretching and practice. They straightened as the warm-up music slowed, their right leg stretched forward, to the side, behind and on the final beat, a final time on the side.

The large metal door opened conspicuously and a tall woman with long silky black hair tied in ribbon surveyed all the ballerinas and then nodded to Madame. The woman had pinker skin than Madame, a slightly rounder face, larger eyes like a doll, but no less poise. Davina noticed a sparkle from the warm lighting and realized the woman wore gemmed hair pins.

"Would you like to be introduced now or would you prefer to wait?" Madame asked quietly, but her voice still carried in the tiny studio.

The woman closed her hands behind her to appear straighter. "I'll wonder in obscurity for now. I prefer to observe first."

Randomly, Davina felt urged to glance to her right and caught eyes with Ami Murosaki. The redhead saw the girl lift her neck higher like a swan. Without verbal acknowledgement, both girls knew they thought the same question: could this be it? Finally?

"Spread out," Madame began before strolling to the center of the studio to face reflection in the mirror. "We'll try a pointe and pirouette combination. Remember to control your pirouette, keep it effortless and graceful or you else you will look like a train wreck crashing on the floor. Take your places. 1-2-3-4…"

* * *

Once on the bus, Yuki stopped checking over his shoulder and with a deep breath, settled into his journey. Yankumi hid behind someone's open newspaper, covered by the travelers, while peeping around arms to watch for Yuki's next move.

Despite being squished between passengers, Yankumi hopped up to see the window. Beside the bus was a green taxi, but she recognized the concrete structure as they took a sharp turn. Nishiazabu crossing, which meant they were in Minato, heading towards Roppongi. The driver pulled out of the sharp turn, causing Yankumi to bump into the business man whose newspaper became her cover.

She gripped the orange sling hanging from the metal bar with a hard stretch. "Sumimasen." She murmured politely with a nod. The business man didn't say anything, instead folding his newspaper to another page.

Yuki stood up and exited the bus right as the last of the new passengers hopped on. Yankumi bumped the business man again, this time earning an annoyed grunt. She pursed her lips, _pardon, I'm sorry but this is massively important! _Her palms touched the plastic door as it nearly shut on her nose. "Eh?"

The bus began to pull away from the designated stop. Yankumi saw Yuki dash off while hopelessly hitting the stop button. Already back in traffic, the bus couldn't immediately stop again before the next destination. The teacher heaved a sigh and pressed herself against the plastic window to watch Yuki for as long as she could. "How am I supposed to find him now?"

* * *

Despite concentrating of their own technique, the girls were obviously intrigued by the extra presence hovering around them in the studio. It was difficult to focus on dance, checking the mirror, spotting Madame's reaction, not bumping into the other girls, while holding composure while the woman would often pause abruptly to watch a single girl's movement for ten astoundingly long seconds.

Davina's pirouette routine had gone as smooth as ever, but she sadly noticed the seasoned girls around her uncharacteristically sloppy in their grace and technique. Even with wonderful composure, Davina knew them well enough to notice the twitches in their stony faces.

The unidentified woman now approached Murosaki and again the girl lifted her neck higher like a swan.

Madame had switched them to tour jete and grand allegro routine—Davina's favorite and Murosaki's weakest. Even with Ami raising her chin to signify confidence, her forehead shined from sweat. Murosaki leaped with lower extension, but cleaner technique. A smart decision, Davina decided as she lifted her arms in position for her turn.

With the turn of the music and the first row of girls done with routine, Davina stood in center formation, asking to be seen by unnamed observer. Her chest pumped faster than normal, but she relished the rush.

She skipped into her grand allegro enthusiastically, yet gently with her landings. She spun high in her tour jete, with no show of force or effort, switching legs midair to softly land on her left to show off her extension. Madame spoke to Horibuchi; the girl on Davina's left to be more mindful of her harsh landings, heavily emphasizing 'grace' (a word rarely heard from 3-D).

Before lining up with the others on the other side of the studio, Davina glimpsed in the mirror and noticed the direction of the woman's eyes. Her hand cupped her chin with interest, holding her gaze on Davina even as the redhead pretended she hadn't noticed.

She briefly recalled the day she recoiled in the shadows of her room, stiff, out of touch with her own body because of Inoue and Tsuchida. The thrill of her routine continued to rip through her, powerful and jubilant like a drug. Suddenly, if only briefly, she couldn't remember the feeling of stiffness from that day or the grip of Inoue and Tsuchida's hands.

* * *

Yankumi sprinted after the bus finally let her depart. Minato was densely populated but maybe if she hurried in the direction she spotted Yuki last…_maybe _she could catch up. Using the Nishiazubu crossing as her marker, Yankumi founded Yuki's bus stop.

Panting, Yankumi pictured Yuki heading north and hoped he was still outside. Away from bustle of Roppongi, Yankumi naturally slowed to search for a match of Yuki's white t-shirt with a single black stripe. Despite living in that city her entire life, Yankumi couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu as she wondered up the pedestrian street with brick mansion buildings. A sense of dread filled the teacher; had Yuki gone into one of these numerous homes? If so, it'd be nearly impossible to find him—

Yankumi shook her head, her pigtails whipping around. _No_. She had to find him. Near the end of the street, before a turn, Yankumi recognized the trees of Aoyama Park and cemetery. Remnants of cherry blossoms peppered the pavement and bushes, signaling the end of spring and beginning of summer. The teacher sighed when she recalled that she _hadn't_ gone to view the cherry blossoms that spring. Had time gone by so fast? Wasn't it only yesterday that the tv forecasters were debating the best day and time? She had promised Minoru that they would go and immediately felt gloomy for forgetting… Minoru hadn't mentioned it, which weighted heavier with guilt in Yankumi's torso.

She'd make it up to him. Apparently Aoyama was wonderful for cherry blossom viewing—why hadn't Yankumi ever gone before? Next April 3-D would graduate and that would be the perfect time. She imagined all of her students, with their diplomas under the rain of cherry blossoms. Dabina-chan lived by nearby and would probably enjoy it too.

Déjà vu whirled Yankumi's instincts again, too particular to ignore. Yankumi glanced over to the other side of the road at a large white building with two flag poles. A foreign embassy, she decided.

Déjà vu whirled _again, _insisting Yankumi take another look. Remarkably, a strong breeze straightened the two flags, showing both the Japanese and American flag. Yankumi stopped dead in her tracks.

The Hardy Barracks. Perhaps this was a back street as normally, Yankumi with Dabina would stroll to the front entrance. Near a broken street lamp, Yankumi heard a scuffle of branches and paused.

Squinting her eyes, she stealthily tiptoed across the road. A hand reached from the tree to the barbed fence, to Yankumi's horror. She jumped into the bush and yanked the young man off the tree before he touched the fence.

"What the—hey!" Yuki barked when he recognized the woman who dragged him off the fence. "Don't touch me! Get your damn hands off me!"

For good measure, Yankumi carried him to the other side of the road before tossing him on his behind.

"Ow," he groaned pathetically. "What was that for!"

"Are you TRYING to get arrested?! Expelled!" Yankumi scorned him, before peering over her shoulder for the police or army base security. They were alone on the street and he hadn't touched the fence, but Yankumi didn't want to risk it.

Again, she yanked on Yuki's arm to haul him away from the scene. She'd be damned if he got expelled after just meeting him…

* * *

In a dark corner of Aoyama cemetery, Yankumi threw Yuki on a ground next to a tombstone. He rubbed his tender bottom. "Did you have to throw me again? What kind of a teacher are you…"

"What were you doing? You were about to climb the Hardy Barrack's fence before I stepped in."

Yuki sorely stood up. He had spent so much resolve to attempt his climb that he experience emptiness when confronting Yankumi. "What's it to you?"

Furious and so profoundly concerned for her student, she grabbed his shirt collar so he could _stop _staring at the ground and face her. "I asked: what were you doing?" His eyes met hers briefly before tearing to the ground again, but long enough for Yankumi to realize that her mistake. She released his collar.

"I'm not trying to bully you. I can't sit back and do nothing."

When Yankumi withdrew slightly, some of Yuki's resolve returned. "You shouldn't have interfered! I don't care if I get expelled."

"What could be so important that you don't care?" Yankumi grimaced.

Yuki bit his lip, exposing the personal scope of his situation. "Again it's none of your business. Apparently all you care about is your trophy since you won't stop bothering me. And what if I did go to Sport's day?! Then would you finally leave me alone?!"

Yankumi clenched her jaw, restraining every whim in her body from shaking sense into Yuki—anything to make him understand. How could he conceive she was only concerned with a bloody trophy?! Minami and Kuma only recently divulged their history. When Yuki stopped attending school, Minami and Kuma inimically parted from Abe. For some unknown reason neither of them could intellectualize, they had a change of heart and didn't favor Abe's attitude anymore.

Unsaid by Minami, Kuma and Yankumi, but Yuki leaving school had indirectly brought Minami and Kuma with Uchi and Shin and eventually Noda.

"I care because I am your homeroom teacher." Yankumi answered simply and clearly.

Yuki's mouth curled with anger. "That means nothing to me. My teachers and faculty never did anything to help me. _Right to an education_ should be their right to bully you." Yuki spat, his mind racing with memories of Abe, Minami and Kumai bullying him for no damn reason. The teachers saw it, all of them, his mother called with her concerns—nothing, zilch. "I have better things to worry about than Sport's day."

Yuki trudged away, hands in his pocket heading towards flags waving in the distance.

"Like what? If you tell me I can help you." Yankumi exclaimed after him. She saw him nudge before dismissing her statement. "I can help you because I know someone who lives there."

Her voice carried and Yuki halted conspicuously. His pause was too visible for him to pretend that he didn't care. Kicking himself already, he turned around. "What do you mean? You better not be lying to me."

"Explain what you need from that Hardy Barracks and I'll help you." She stuck out her pinky finger. "Promise!"

Yuki mulled over the idea, but desperation glinted in his eyes. "_Fine._" He conceded.

Yankumi heard a twig snap behind her but no one was there. "But not here in a spooky cemetery!" Yankumi cried, rubbing her arms from a sudden chill.

* * *

With thirty more minutes to go before the end of class, Davina was overly weary from overexertion as were the other girls. She couldn't remember being tired so early in a class before, nor had she seen the other girls push themselves so hard. No one was sure who the mystery guest was, but everyone had a good guess.

The threat of competition was seeping into the attitudes of long time friends—Yamada and Kinjo glared at each other when Yamada accidentally bumped into Kinjo while the unknown guest observed her technique.

Davina found herself annoyed by the growing agitation between girls who had amicably practiced together even before she arrived in Japan. Instead of watching the girls constantly measure, mentally compare their performances—and even _smirk _when another girl screwed up—Davina gazed out the window to their view of Shinjuku between her turns.

Eventually, the guest keenly nodded at Madame. Madame shut off the music and announced for everyone to sit down. When Davina sat, she noticed Yamada and Kinjo sitting on opposing ends of the group with Murosaki uncomfortably in the middle. Davina remembered the group of girls who opted to give her 'friendly advice' about Shirokin boys, stunned at how they could suddenly turn so cold.

Madame with a subtle smile finally introduced her guest. "Students, let me introduce you all to Joshuyo-sensei"—Davina already heard the girls around her inhale a deep breath—"former dance instructor to Kasuse, Nao and appointed admissions representative for the School of American Ballet."

Davina's stomach flipped repeatedly, dancing haphazardly on the line between being happily excited and nauseated.

Before Joshuyo-sensei formally spoke to the class, Madame uttered something over her ear. "I hope you don't mind, I told them both to bring their old shoes."

"_Sou desu ka_? Hmm, I don't know if we have time today. I was meaning to ask only three in particular."

_Only three_? Davina felt her heart rise into her throat and swallowed. She fought the urge to glance around at the six other girls. She could sense sly glances, resting on her than to others, as if trying to decide which the lucky three were. Three out of seven. Not even half.

She could suddenly taste her dinner at the top of her throat as her stomach flipped.

"_Sumimasen._" Madame bowed her head, a sight Davina had never seen of her instructor.

"It's alright. We can look at them properly next week and talk about customization later."

Custom shoes? Davina's mind raced until she was woozy. Custom shoes=expensive, so customization for company members.

Joshuyo addressed the class, gazing at each of them equally without hinting which three she spoke of. "As you may know, my former student Kasuse has gone to dance for the School of American Ballet. They will announce it officially soon, but S.A.B. will be holding auditions for the first time here in Tokyo this winter."

_Way to go, Jayla. _Davina smiled; just as excited as she had been when Jayla spilled the rumors.

Ami squealed quietly next to her but the odds dawned on her again and her skin paled.

"It's a trial process to recruit diverse dancers since it is impractical to expect all dancers to travel to New York for auditions. It is because of dancers like Kasuse that you girls are getting this opportunity—so pay your respects to your sempai. However, even with the additional audition, they're still taking only the best of the best. You'll face the best in your class, the best throughout the country and the rest of Asia. A well-respected teacher, trusted colleague, and _my friend_, Fujioka-sensei, says some of you have potential to become professional. Yet, even with the potential I've seen, you have to _want _it."

"As beautiful and as graceful as ballet seems, it's a highly competitive lifestyle, often filled with injuries, heartache and disappointment."

"I am going to start hosting a private workshop for dancers I handpick, which will prepare you for the audition and company-life. However, S.A.B's audition to open to any dancer so I urge all of you to think it over. If you need guidance, please feel free to consult me or your instructor."

"With that, I'll return you to Fujioka's hands." Joshuyo-sensei bowed her head to Madame.

* * *

Back in the locker room, Davina finally untied her stubborn hair that for whatever reason that day would not stay tame in a bun. She shook the tresses and then brushed out the kinks.

Whatever subtle agitation she perceived in the studio quadrupled in the lockers, evident by Kinjo slamming hers so loudly that Davina wondered if pedestrians in Shinjuku were startled. 'Erin' Yamada was the first to storm out, muttering curses under her breath so foul 3-D would gasp.

Murosaki hid in the bathroom to change to avoid her close friends. Kinjo audibly exited, after pacing around the locker rooms praying that her chances weren't ruined by Yamada's bump.

Without properly folding her clothes, desperate for fresh air, Davina conceded with roughly throwing her items into her dance bag. She welcomed the rain-smelling air and Shinjuku, which despite its urban noise seemed infinitely more peaceful than the studio.

When she saw Shin casually leaning against the studio building, she rushed over and locked her lips over his before either of them uttered a word.

The agitation of the studio, Joshujo-sensei's sudden appearance and her mother suddenly a distant memory, Davina relaxed into the kiss and then gently pulled away. "Better."

Shin cupped both sides of her head to steady him and her. "Did something happen? I saw a few girls stomp out of there, red in the eyes."

"Let's walk first."

Immersed in the crowd, darting around tourists and local groups, Davina raised her voice over the noise to fill Shin in. "Murosaki hid in the bathroom. For a guy who's quick to fight, I didn't think Kuma would have a soft spot for shy girls."

"Any idea of which three girls Joshujo-sensei picked?"

"Can't bear to make predictions, don't care, just as long as one of them is me."

"Never seen this competitive side of you before."

"I have a feeling you'll see more of it soon." Davina felt weird as she reflected on the day. Just as Jayla said. The auditions were happening. However excited, she wondered if perhaps knowing about the audition had made the unveiling a _twinge _anticlimactic. "Jayla and Mira are the only ballerinas I hang out with…unsaid but probably because they don't want to go pro."

She had known numerous ballerinas in her life but was only ever close with Mira and Jay. Perhaps because they weren't competition. She suddenly recalled Victoria from her class and how the dancer immediately shunned Davina because of her identical aspirations.

They ventured into a convenience store that smelled of anti-bacterial floor cleaner. They purchased packets of chicken onigiri and cold cider. Shin took off his black blazer and his white button-down shirt to reveal a red-black graphic t-shirt.

Davina folded her orange and white stripped skirt under her legs when they sat on a bench to eat. She also fixed the ruffles in the straps of her grey top. In her rush to leave the studio, Davina hadn't primed her clothes.

Shin handed her an onigiri and loosely wrapped his arm over her shoulders. After a few satisfying bites, Davina asked. "Has Yankumi managed to excite everyone for Sport's day?"

Shin sighed weakly, excited not being the appropriate word. "They're a little despondent because we can't even compete in all of the sports since 3-D isn't a large enough class."

That was news to Davina…

"…that is unless Yankumi can convince a student who has been absent from school since last year to attend."

Davina swallowed hard. Shin explained Yuki—drawing surprise from Davina at how Yankumi usually so scrupulous hadn't noticed before—how he left school because of bullying. "Abe, 3-C student—ones you haven't met—along with Minami and Kuma." He added reluctantly.

Davina's gut twisted with disappointment but she remained silent to allow Shin to continue.

"I didn't know them during that time, but I know they got tired of Abe soon after Yuki left. I don't know for certain since both aren't proud of what they did. I wouldn't suggest bringing it up with them."

Davina pictured cheery, silly Minami and Kuma, torn by the image of those characters she had grown to love as bullies. "Everyone makes mistakes. Do you think Yankumi can get through to him?"

His typical poker face surfaced, unknown to her that he was recalling a particular event earlier in the evening. Yankumi had thrown the student to the ground, challenging him to slam her down. Weakened, they both collapsed to the ground.

_"Even when something bad happens, you keep going! Isn't that what life is about!"_

Shin remembered intensely staring at the teacher, profoundly warmed by her audacity and her sincere trust in her student. It was at that moment, that despite the barriers he created, Yankumi had countered every obstacle, changing everything he fundamentally believed, not only about teachers but people as well. Shin realized, accepted and cherished that he could trust Yankumi.

"She said that it's in his hands now." Shin's lips twitched, slightly curling. "But if he doesn't show tomorrow, she'll blame herself."

Davina smiled. "Can't Yankumi accept the fact that we can make stupid mistakes too? If we always let someone take the blame, we wouldn't ever experience regret."

The significance didn't need mentioning or indication. Not anymore. His fingers brushed along her left shoulder blade, not unnoticed by Davina. However, the two remained silent; his brown eyes met her green set as if to confirm their mutual understanding and faith in one another. As hard they they both fought from trusting, trusting seemed like the easiest part. It was merely feeling at ease with someone and letting go. Profoundly liberating and sweet.

Shin's warm breath brushed against her forehead. His nose filled with the sweet scent of her shampoo when he kissed near her hairline. "Better."

* * *

"You missed a phone call from America this morning."

"Your great-grandmother only asked if we have traveled around the main island."

"So that's just a passive-aggressive way of asking if we have gone to Nagoya and met with Sofu?" Davina mumbled, not convinced her great-grandmother wasn't in the very least intrigued. "Did she talk to you about her flowers?"

Kenneth leaned back in his seat, trying to quickly decide if Davina's attitude-riddled statement was worth scolding. In the scope of his memory, could he figure if Davina's attitude was a result of the moment or her new friends? He could already see Esmée staring with willful eyes, 'just let it go.' Instead of pursuing the topic of her friends, he calmly responded. "Davina, drop that smart-aleck tone. And don't call your great-grandmother passive-aggressive."

Right as Davina was replying with "yes sir," her mother interrupted.

"She's right though. Marilyn should just ask, Ken." She started giggling when she saw her husband's face as she always did when it was two versus one.

"Don't encourage her, Esmée." Ken shook his head and fought back a little smile. "Let me finalize the plans and I'll tell her we're going to meet Sou-sofu."

"Dad, he's my Sou-sofu. Since he's your grandfather, you would call him oji-chan." Davina corrected.

"Wonderful. Did your boyfriend teach you that?" Esmée asked innocently, surprised by Ken's loud slip of utensils against the glass plate as he was trying to carve into his food.

Esmée pursed her lips tightly to suppress giggles, unsure of who got redder in the face, her daughter or her husband.

Davina's mobile vibrated and rang loudly, saving her from the situation. She rushed into her bedroom, still hearing exasperated banter from her father and her mother's giggles even with a shut door. She read the unknown number before answering.

"Hello, this is Davina." She heard phones and distant Japanese conversation.

"Ah, Suminsu-san. I hope you're well. It's Shinohara from the police station."

Davina inhaled a deep breath. "Oh, of course I remember. Thank you, I hope you're well too." Despite Shinohara's former reassuring words, her heart pattered nervously from anticipation. She sat stiffly in her computer chair, clenching the phone.

She heard a change in his formerly pleasant tone. "Is this a good time? I don't want to interrupt anything—"

"Now is perfectly fine."

She could hear him nodding to the phone. "Oh good. Pardon me for asking, is Japanese alright? I can find Inagawa just for when—"

"Japanese is fine." She responded something inside quietly pointing out that their whole conversation so far was successful in Japanese. "If I don't understand a word you use, I'll tell you."

He exhaled into the receiver. "That is fine. I'll do my best. " He cleared his throat and there was a sound of a door shutting. The background noise of phones and voices silenced. "I wanted to personally update you on your case. The two parties in the opposition have not responded to police inquiries so we have no choice but withdraw the complaint against you."

_Two parties_…_Tsuchida and Inoue._ The two leering arrogant boys in the Chinese restaurant who told her to abandon 3-D because they were _gomi. _Knowing what she knew, the irony was almost comedic.

"Withdrawn?" Davina repeated, trying the crucial word on her lips.

"_Owari_." Shinohara simplified. "It's over, Dabina. Not to be rude—" humor seeped into his tone—"I hope we never have to see each other again."

She withheld from saying, as handsome as Shinohara is, she also hoped to never see him again.

Davina's chest pounded as if the subject alone, even the good news, sparked discomfort. "Ehn. I understand." She bit her lip, wondering if her tone sounded too dull. "Thank you Shinohara-san for doing your best." She uttered with a smidge of cheer.

The call ended and Davina was left in the silence of her room, staring at the bare walls. One phone call and just like that the case was closed. Even without ever hearing the extent of Shin and Yankumi's interference, no one expressed doubt of their effectiveness.

However…

The aftermath emotion she experienced was…strange.

She'd thought that the twists in the pit of her stomach would go away the moment Shinohara dismissed the case. The last time she faced Inoue or Tsuchida she was escorted off Shirokin grounds. She could picture Inoue's sneer and Tsuchida's scorn for her. Though she doubted they were smiling now, those mental images were etched in her mind, inerasable.

Her throat dried and she rubbed her clammy palms on her skirt, breathing shallowly to soothe her nerves. She had expected to see them at the police station, if only in passing through the busy lobby. She hadn't.

Her phone alerted a message. She smiled upon opening it.

_Wanna go for a walk?_

* * *

Davina waited for Shin near the entertainment district. Her mind wandered while people-watching when he had startled her. Despite it being typically Shin's stealth mode, Davina's heart, she could have sworn, pressed so hard against her rib cage, there would be imprints against her skin. She smacked him playfully in the arm, dismissing the feverish rush, embarrassed from her yelp that must have been heard throughout all of Tokyo.

"You ok?" Shin asked, startled by _her._

She grabbed a fistful of his cotton t-shirt. "Yeah, you just scared me, is all."

He rubbed a soothing hand on her bare arm, feeling goose bumps on her skin.

"How did it go today?" Davina asked as they crossed a busy cross-walk. The temperature was cooling down and with the thin fabric of her button-down blouse; she'd eventually regret not bringing a light jacket. However, for the moment, she relished the gentle breeze.

Shin shrugged his hands into his pocket, spoiling the chance for Davina to hold his hand. "We were disqualified in every sport, except basketball."

"Which means—" Davina knew the answer but was hesitant to verbalize it.

"Yuki came." Shin completed her sentence as they passed a corner café. "We won the game so we didn't end up in last place."

Davina smiled, eying the boutique windows as they strolled. "I bet Yankumi is happy."

Shin smirked, remembering Yankumi's triumphant grin as if she had won first place. "Sou."

"So what happens now? Is Yuki going to be a regular student of 3-D? Or will other things need to be settled?"

"Minami, Kuma and Yuki have made amends, but it's up to Headteacher."

Davina lowly hissed. What she couldn't give for the man to look her in the eye after hearing that his golden students were bold-faced liars…

"How do you feel?" Shin asked what typically sounded like a normal question, but the concerned glint in his poker face revealed deeper significance.

She blinked, feeling her expression relax, not realizing she had been glaring from thinking about Headteacher. She strolled closer to Shin for privacy on the packed street. "No more random jumps in adrenaline—_well, _except that one because you snuck up on me."

Shin nodded, slowing his pace as they unconsciously veered to the side to allow striding pedestrians to pass them easily.

"Shinohara-san called today. No response from Tsuchida or Inoue so the case is officially dismissed."

"Good to hear." Shin breathily said and Davina shrugged. "What? You don't feel that way?"

Davina perched herself at the road barrier, watching an insanely expensive sports car zoom by. The sport's car engine fired piercingly, shooting the car down the road like a rocket. "Of course I do."

"Well?"

"I don't know Shin. I spoke the truth, but I don't feel satisfied."

Shin perched himself on the barrier, right next to her. "You feel angry because you haven't evened the score."

"I wouldn't say it's that." The emotion seemed too dull and throbbing for her to dub as anger.

"It's _exactly_ that." Shin insisted. "You were violated and they didn't even get a slap on the wrist."

"I never did ask you…what happened to them after Shirokin found out the truth."

And you don't want to hear it, Shin withheld from saying. He didn't want to tell her that in spite of their recent absence from school, they hadn't been reprimanded. Shin and the rest of their friends _didn't _explicitly say it, though they thought it, if it were them in Tsuchida and Inoue's shoes, Headteacher would have expelled them so fast their heads would have spun on their spines.

Headteacher, Washio and Fujiyama acted as if nothing had ever happened, so much that Yankumi herself didn't wish to open the awkward discussion. However, there was still the noticeable rift between 3-D and 3-C when they ran into each other in the halls or cafeteria. It had been especially clear during sport's day. Apparently, Tsuchida's absence had cost them their soccer match.

Come to think of it…maybe Headteacher had an implicit effect on Tsuchida and Inoue's unknown absence…

Shin sighed. Still, if an unofficial suspension was the worst of it, knowing that would do little for Davina. The real sting, for Inoue, probably came from the demotion in trust and reputation among his underground criminal affiliates. "Let me tell you about what happened…after my first fight."

"The one with Minami?"

Shin shook his head. "Before that, a long time ago. I was with Uchi and another friend. We were…sort of ambushed."

"What happened?"

"After…for nearly two weeks, I was a paranoid nervous-wreck. If someone brushed against me on crowded trains, I'd get rushes of adrenaline. The headaches were terrible and frequent. I'd wake up in the middle of the night, sweaty with my chest pounding with energy to fight. The only thing I can promise is that it will get better in time."

Davina listened, truly appreciating Shin's delinquent history for the first time. Any of her other goody-two-shoes friends wouldn't have been able to share a similar anecdote—something that could actually relinquish the churns in her stomach and bring back a sense of normality.

She playfully nudged him with her elbow. "You can help by not being so stealthy all the time."

"I'll _think_ about it." Davina laughed at his sarcastic shrug.

"Thank you for that." Davina said a few moments later, referring to his earlier confession, feeling relief that her own physical anxious overreactions would fade in time.

"Betsuni." Shin matched her elbow nudge.

* * *

The temperature _dropped_ like a rock. Begrudgingly, the thin blouse that kept Davina cool during the day did little to guard against the evening wind. Interesting, the redhead didn't really feel it until they tore away from the dense tourist crowds.

She also couldn't help but notice more backpackers, cumbersomely wandering the streets with their large bags. It brought a little spring in her step, reminding her of summertime.

Shin had taken her hand sometime with the crowds to not lose her in the pushing and shoving. Upon strolling up the hill towards the Hardy Barracks, she had wrapped his arm around her shoulders. At first he thought it solely for affection but then noticed the chill on her skin.

Right as Davina eased into his embrace, she spotted two figures standing at the edge of the compound. She recognized the bi-speckled teacher with long pig-tails standing with someone with a plaster under his eye.

When Shin saw Yankumi and the stranger, he removed his arm, much to Davina's dismay. Before she could comment, she realized that she recognized the boy—that teenager with the green-hazel eyes and brown hair whom she regularly spotted lingering around the base, being turned away by the guards.

"It's you." Davina uttered, pointing at Yuki, causing Yankumi to pan between them frantically.

"You know each other?" Yankumi asked.

He gave Davina an once-over then stared at his shoes. Embarrassed, also not saying that he also recognized her, from seeing her enter and exit the base usually surrounded by his former classmates.

"I've seen him around the base. I always wondered why you were trying so hard to get in."

"This is Yuki." Shin introduced finally, causing Davina's eyes to widen.

"Yuki?" Up close his facially bruising was visible, stark against his skin, which meant they were fresh. Never in her imagination would she have thought that Yuki was the boy who was hovering around the base. "If I had known I would have said something Yankumi—"

"It's alright." Yankumi cut in.

"What's this all about?" Shin asked while checking his watch. It was the early evening so Yankumi had a decent idea of how and where to find them.

Yankumi peered over to Yuki who merely tipped his head. She wondered how the strength and confidence she witnessed earlier could have vanished again. However, giving the student a break, she broke the ice. "Dabina-chan, if you don't mind we'll need to burden you with a request."

Even with his hair hanging over his brows, Yuki squeezed his eyes shut. He was grateful for Yankumi's presence despite his earlier unsteadiness in the Aoyama Park when he requested her help.

"Go on."

* * *

"Do you remember the house number?" Davina asked as she ran her finger down the residential listing in the main hall. Yuki gazed at the grand stair case feeding into the decorated lobby. It surprised him to see so many Japanese people in the foreign establishment, yet at the same time, he felt like sore thumb among the non-Japanese. He considered his English decent for his age, but his estimation diminished in the sea of rapid conversation, an alien language to his ears.

He also felt uneasy with speaking to Davina despite her solely using Japanese with him. He sort of communicated with Yankumi for fear of saying something she wouldn't understand.

"I've never been inside before so I wouldn't know." Yuki said to Yankumi and Shin. Shin dismissed him, nudging his head at Yuki in Davina's direction as if to say, _talk to __her__._

Ignoring his direction or just not noticing, Davina tapped her finger on a particular name. "Lucky for us, he lives in my building."

They rode in the elevator to the eighth floor. Shin noticed when Davina exhaled a breath in relief after they passed the fourth floor, her floor. When she met his gaze, reading his expression, she explained. "It's easier for now to not run into anyone I know."

When they arrived, Davina saw a difference in layout from the eighth floor and the lower levels. There were more residences, which she concluded were for singles and not the family residences like hers.

They circled around the floor until they found #807. The four of them saw the plate at the door: Mark H. Schmidt.

Yuki heaved a deep breath, rubbing his bandage self-consciously.

"Ready?" Davina asked her hand posed to knock. They saw a hall light switch on from under the door.

The lock turned and a man stood at the entrance. Tall and firmly built, Davina saw the same fine lines and thinning dark hair from the promotional ceremony. She wondered if he recognized her and Shin from that night, but his attention gravitated to Yuki. His worn expression stiffened from disbelief.

Yankumi, Davina and Shin saw Schmidt's green-hazel eyes meet Yuki's matching hue. Yuki's mouth waggled as he struggling to find speech.

"Masato—" Schmidt reached over to gently cup Yuki's face.

"Dad—" Yuki's voice broke.

"How did you…how do you know—Davina—" He addressed the redhead, stammering in English.

"Sergeant major." She greeted. Normally military personnel knew she was her father's daughter, but few remembered her name. Of course, he might remember her name…her father was the one who was taking over his position... "This is his homeroom teacher. This is his classmate and I am a mutual friend." She explained vaguely, leaving out how Yuki hadn't attended school in ages.

"Thank you for bringing him. Would you all like to sit down?"

Davina shook her head. "No, it's alright. We'll leave you two to talk."

* * *

"If Yuki is technically considered you guest, won't you get into trouble if you don't see him out?" Yankumi asked as they rode down in the elevator.

Davina shrugged. "I imagine the Sergeant Major will take care of it."

"_Father_…" Shin uttered.

No one acknowledged the painful truth that for whatever reason, they were estranged for a while.

"His file said 'single-mother' as his only parent. No word of a military parent. And he didn't take Schmidt as a surname." Yankumi stated.

"I wonder what they're going to do once Schmidt goes to Okinawa." Davina muttered, picturing a map of Japan. Even in a country so small, the distance felt vast.

"Hmmm," Yankumi crossed her arms in thought. "If the school doesn't know, it might not have been in the family registry…" Yankumi cringed at her own words, unveiling an uncomfortable possibility that crossed all of their minds.

Yuki could have been…illegitimate, which was nothing shameful! Yankumi wanted to cry out. Her own family was extremely unconventional. But if the structure of Yuki's family made it difficult for him to meet with his father, then what a damn pity!

No one said anything on that thought, knowing very little about Yuki's personal situation they didn't want to make such a leap…

Yankumi sighed. With the new peek into Yuki's life in addition to the bullying and apathy from school…Yankumi was even more sympathetic.

"If the school doesn't know and if the guards won't let him inside, I wonder if the base knows." Davina asked, not expecting any answer.

Shin thought of Davina's mother's comment from the dinner. The woman had speculated just why in the world would the military move such a talented man like Schmidt away from the negotiations epicenter to a much smaller operation a thousand miles away? "_Major conflict of interests… sending a man like Schmidt to Okinawa is like exiling a man out to Siberia."_

Maybe the military _did _know, perhaps all too well.

* * *

DigitalWing: Thank you for your review. I completely agree with you about victim-blaming. I do not think that Davina should be blaming herself and her thoughts on this are very different from mine.

That chapter was meant to spark outrage, at Headteacher, Inoue, Tsuchida, and especially Davina for being a coward, for knowing she could take the easy way out. Davina lied because she had diplomatic/military immunity and didn't want a long ordeal, she was ashamed (wrongly blaming herself as many victims do), mortified at the thought of verbalizing the event to loved ones and lastly, her personality trait of internalizing her issues for composure. She's a 17 year old girl who had never been in trouble before, and suddenly she's faced with the police and school expulsion, all while needing to express herself to adults and the police in a language she's hardly proficient with. It was a dishonest, stupid mistake and she's learning to cope with unexpected aftermath (jumpiness, headaches etc). As the author, it was hard for me to write her in such a vulnerable state, blaming herself in ways I hope no girl ever will, acting dishonest and selfish.

That said, I hope you (and everyone else) did not feel manipulated by those events since that arc was intended to push Davina (get readers annoyed/angry with her for initially lying), get Shin and Davina to realize just how deceptive they are with each other and to hopefully redeem her when she eventually revealed the truth. She's still got a lot of growing to do, even I want her to be less of a coward...

Megan642: Thank you :) Dare I say it but the development is the best part! Rushing through it takes out all the fun. As for Yoshida… we're going to learn more about her soon. Also because you mentioned it a while back (I remember…) about Natsumi's arc, it will come _after _Yuuta's story, which is next.

The Velvet Ash: Thank you! It's taken a while to integrate Davina into the group, but I think now they sort of how to deal with language barriers, what to expect from each other and a certain level of trust. Not that there aren't going to be some butting of heads later on…

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter! And as always, feedback is encouraged.


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